Fire emblem: Awakened Fates
by Nicole de Lancret 22
Summary: When Princess Nicole of both Nohr and Hoshido attempts to peacefully end a conflict between the two nations, everything goes horribly wrong. Alone and banished from both kingdoms, she tries to find a new home to forget about her past. What happens when her search takes her to another world entirely?
1. A Fated Beginning

I glanced at my surroundings, wondering where I was. It certainly wasn't the Northern Fortress, which was odd considering I wasn't allowed to leave it.

I was surrounded by nothing but fields of emerald green grass with small groves of trees scattered throughout. From beyond one grove I could hear the sound of… some sort of conflict, perhaps? But it was hard to tell from this far away. I paused for a moment, straining to hear the sounds in the distance and basking in the warm glow of the sunlight.

 _Wait… sunlight?_ That couldn't be right. Nohr wasn't exactly known for it's sunlight. My homeland was eternally dark, and on the rare occasion the sun did decide to grace Nohr with its presence, it was never this… bright.

Distracted by the strange scenery around me, I didn't notice the soldier creeping up behind me until it was too late.

I gave a shriek of pain as I felt the axe bite into my side and twirled around to see a fighter in steel armor readying his axe for the finishing blow. A fighter in _Nohrian_ armor. A traitor, then?

I reached for my sword, desperately attempting to block his next swing before it found its home in my neck. My efforts were for naught, however, as a Pegasus rider swooped down and finished off the soldier with a quick blow to his chest.

 _Pegasus rider? Where did she come from?_ She turned her steed around and landed behind me, twirling her strange, curved lance expertly and mumbling something that sounded suspiciously like "Nohrian scum" before turning to face two more people that had appeared behind me during the scuffle.

One was a young girl holding what appeared to be a healing staff. It looked strange though, with odd bobbles and streamers hanging down from the end of it. The girl holding the strange staff had pale pink hair and appeared to be no older than 14. I couldn't distinguish any other facial features though, as she shyly stared at the ground instead of meeting my eyes. The boy next to her looked to be a little older. Closer in age to me, but still younger. He had light grayish hair in a high ponytail and brown eyes. Brown eyes which were currently staring me down with an intensity that could melt ice cubes. While the younger girl was holding a staff, he gripped a bow. It was an ornate, golden thing that left me baffled as to how one was supposed to wield it, given there was no string that I could see. If I was being honest though, I was a bit relieved that he couldn't use the bow. If the look he was giving me was anything to go by, he just might use it on me if he could. The woman that had saved me looked like the oldest out of the three. Her flaming red hair complimented her fiery expression as she proudly sat atop her pegasus, strange lance still gripped loosely in her right hand.

"Nicole, are you all right?" The woman on the pegasus said, jumping down from her mount. She rushed over to me, concern evident on her face as she grasped my shoulders and checked me for injuries. When her eyes found the wound in my side, a dark look crossed her face. "Sakura, take care of Nicole's injury while I go ahead," she ordered.

The young girl, Sakura, nodded to the older woman as she moved to mount her Pegasus again. I felt a gentle heat wash over me as Sakura poured the staff's healing energy into me. I was once again struck by the peculiarity of the girl's staff. Having trained with the sword since a young age, I was intimately aware of how the magic of a staff feels to the person being healed, especially since I had an opponent as fearsome as my older brother. However, this staff didn't feel the same. In times past, it was always a numbing cold, like putting ice on a burn. This magic produced a soothing warmth throughout my body.

We stood in awkward silence for a few moments, the girl shyly focusing on healing my wound and the man glaring daggers at me. I was about to say something to relieve the tension, despite not knowing what in the gods names was going on, when yet another soldier appeared out of nowhere.

I closed my eyes, bracing myself for another axe in the side for my carelessness, but the blow never came. I opened my eyes to see an arrow embedded in the soldier's chest. Unsheathing my sword, I delivered a swift blow to the man's neck, sparing him a slow death to the archer's wound.

I turned to the young archer and glanced at his bow. Where there had been nothing before, there was now a shimmering string of blue light. _Strange, I've never heard of a bow that could do that before,_ I thought warily. Despite my misgivings about the strange weapon, I still turned to thank him.

However, the words of thanks died in my throat as I saw that he was _still_ glaring at me with more distaste than I ever thought a person could achieve with a single look. I swallowed my angry response to his continued glares by reminding myself that he _did_ just save my life, but it was close. I was spared having to further force myself not to rise to the archer's provocations by the return of the crimson haired Pegasus knight.

She spared the dead soldier a glance and turned back to us. "Good work," she said, beaming at the three of us, "Takumi, take Nicole and Sakura and meet up with Ryoma and the rest of the army. I'll meet you up there." She once again took off, flying over the grove of trees that separated us from the sound of conflict I had heard earlier.

 _Ryoma, Takumi, Sakura… just who are these people._ I thought, warily following the newly dubbed Takumi. I was concerned, however, by her mention of an army. While I didn't think my current companions would harm me, I had already come face to face with two enemies in a short period of time, and, unless you counted training, that was already more combat than I'd ever faced.

We soon walked past the forested area and found the army the knight had ordered us to meet up with, or at least, the army I _hoped_ she ordered us to meet up with. My nerves were calmed when I saw them wearing the same white and red color scheme as my current companions, though this made me feel slightly out of place in my own silver and black armor. We made our way through the sea of red and white to the front lines, the other soldiers parting for us to approach a man I assumed to be the commander, only to be faced with a second army. And based off of the glares I could see from all the way across the valley that separated us, these people were definitely _not_ allies.

"Ah, Nicole," I turned to the sound of the voice. The commander, and the man I assumed to be Ryoma, beckoned me over to where he and the Pegasus knight stood facing the commander of the enemy army. Ryoma turned to him and started accusing him of some sort incident in a capital. Something about his mother was also mentioned, but I didn't have any idea what he was talking about.

I glanced at the enemy commander and was overjoyed to see my first familiar face… but why was he the _enemy_ commander.

"Xander!" I called out. He paused his intense staring contest with Ryoma to give me a shocked look.

"Nicole, we thought you were dead. Have they harmed you?" He asked, concern the only thing maring the relieved smile he had gained upon seeing me alive.

Finally, I see someone familiar, and my brother to boot. But… why would he think I was dead? What was going on?

I took a step towards Xander, but Ryoma's hand shot out and gently grasped my shoulder. "Don't let his words fool you Nicole. You belong with your family in Hoshido, not you false Nohrian family," he said hesitantly, as if he was afraid of upsetting me.

My Hoshidan family? I was a Nohrians princess by birth. What did he mean "my Hoshidan family"?

As my thoughts continued to swirl tumultuously around in my head, more familiar faces appeared next to Xander. Camilla, Leo, and Elise, my other siblings, charged in on their respective mounts and smiled in relief upon seeing me unharmed. That relief quickly morphed into anger, however, when they saw who stood next to me.

"Ah Nicole, why don't you come over here and greet your big sister," Camilla said in a sweet tone with an undercurrent of something dark, something that promised violence if anyone prevented me from doing so.

"No need, she is already right beside her big sister," the Pegasus rider said in a similarly falsely sweet tone. Her eyes promising the same violence if anything removed me from her side.

"Hinoka," ah, so that was her name, "please handle this a touch more delicately," Ryoma beseeched Hinoka with the same placating tone he had used on me earlier. He seemed to be attempting not to frighten me, but it _definitely_ wasn't working.

"This is ridiculous, release our sister at once or face the wrath of my magic," Leo said, eyes flashing with malice.

"Yeah! Leave her alone or… or you'll be sorry," Elise declared, her threat undermined by the her pout.

"Brother, they aren't going to listen to reason. Let's just kill them all and be done with it," the archer, Takumi, said to Ryoma in response to my sibling's threats. I wanted to scream, warn everyone what was coming, but I couldn't force the words past my lips.

The young healer, Sakura, seemed to mistake the look on my face for one of fear. "D-don't worry… b-big brother won't l-let anything b-bad happen to us," she said with a nod.

Big brother? Did she mean Ryoma? Did that mean Ryoma, Hinoka, Takumi, and Sakura were all related? Did that mean I was related to all four of them? _What was going on?_

My thoughts were halted by a feeling of intense cold through my whole body. Wait… not my whole body, just my head. The feeling intensified enough for me to feel it's origin. A pair of hands on either side of my face emanating an icy cold was the source of my discomfort. As the faces of my siblings, both real and imaginary, grew hazy, I heard a voice in the distance.

"Wake up Lady Nicole!"

* * *

In another part of the world, an old man, known as the rainbow sage, stumbled back as the spell he had been casting was abruptly cut off. He sighed, feeling his work was only half completed. He worried that he had not done enough.

"Oh well," he muttered to himself. "I have to hope she will be prepared enough with the small glimpse of the future I gave her."

He had hoped to give her more knowledge of what was to come. Show her more information she would need in the trials to come. Not enough to be considered interfering. Not enough to attract the attention of certain beings he wished to avoid the gazes of. But enough so that he might ease the girl's burden.

He might have succeeded if it wasn't for those maids.

But it was no matter. He couldn't change it now. Aside from a few fateful decisions on the girl's part, the fate of the world was sealed.

* * *

Some people might call Jakob obsessive. This was, however, grossly inaccurate. He was simply devoted. Was it so wrong to be devoted to the person who had given you your entire life? Jakob lived his life by answering no.

Because of this devotion, it came as no surprise that he would accompany Flora and Felicia to wake up their mistress on such an important day. Of course, she herself was not aware of the days significance, as he only knew due to the penchant Princess Elise had for spilling secrets. One such secret was that Lady Nicole's "lesson" today was, in actuality, a test.

A test to see if she would get to leave.

Jakob knew the significance of this, and while he was not overly invested in Nicole's training, he was very much invested in his lady leaving the accursed fortress she had been confined to most of her life. He knew how much she longed for freedom beyond the stone walls that had imprisoned her for nearly twelve years. It may have been a large cage, but it was still a cage nonetheless. His desire for her release was made even more potent by the fact that he knew the reason for her imprisonment, and that made him feel guilty.

Guilty, because he had never told her the truth, but how could he? How could any of them? If they were to tell her, if the king decided she was no longer useful to him after she knew, what would become of her? This fear stilled his tongue, even when the guilt of keeping it from her tore him up inside. Still worse was the fact that he was personally responsible for her forgetting the first four years of her life. If he were to just stop giving her the tea…

… but if King Garon were to decide it was too much effort to make her forget a second time…

So, Jakob would hold his tongue. For the time being, at least.

The small army gathering to wake up his mistress continued on past hall upon dreary hall, the monotony of the color scheme only occasionally broken up by paintings of bleak landscapes. Eventually, they came to a tower and finally started to see signs of life in the fortress. A few cheerful paintings and vases of flowers acting as a trail to his Lady's chambers. He entered into her room behind Flora and Felicia to see her still sound asleep in bed. Limbs askew and long, purple hair everywhere. It both gladdened him and made him sick to see her so at peace. Because, while he wished for nothing _but_ peace for her, he knew that all of this was a lie.

"Milady, time to wake up," Flora said gently, nudging Nicole's shoulder. No response came from their sleepy mistress.

"Lady Nicole, you've got to wake up!" Felicia, Flora's twin, said a touch more vigorously, shaking Nicole's shoulder instead of gently nudging it like her sister had.

Their attacks on the sleeping princess continued, growing more and more desperate until, finally, the two sisters resorted to their infamous ice magic, and, being from the ice tribe, the two were experts at it.

"Gahhh!" Shrieked a startled Nicole as she awoke with a start. "I'm awake! You can stop with the ice magic now!"

Her retainers chuckled, still amused at her reaction to ice magic despite having become intimately familiar with it by now.

"Milady, you have training with Prince Xander today. He arrived a few moments ago. He is currently awaiting you on the roof of the western tower, and you know how much he likes to be kept waiting…" Gunter informed the still sleepy noble. Any trace of sleepiness evaporated at Gunter's words as a flicker of fear showed on Nicole's face.

Jakob chuckled again, amused by her fear of training with an irritated Prince Xander, despite knowing that her fear was well founded. While the Northern Fortress was small by the standards of Nohrian strongholds, it was still a decent size for running lap after torturous lap around the inner fortress.

His amusement quickly faded however when his mistress said, "I do wish I could have continued my dream though. It was the strangest thing, and it was so vivid too! Some people that looked like Hoshidans acted like they knew me, and Nohrian soldiers kept attacking me. But that doesn't make any sense, I'm a Nohrian princess. Why would I be fighting with the Hoshidans?"

So lost in thought was Jakob's mistress, that she didn't see the flicker of fear and guilt that crossed his face. Nicole's other retainers were similarly struggling to hide their reactions to their lady's words with varying degrees of success, Felicia being the worst as she looked ready to burst into tears.

"Lady Nicole," Jakob interrupted before Felicia could make a scene, "did you drink your tea last night?"

"My tea?" Nicole responded with a confused look on her face. "No, I must have forgotten about it. Why do you ask?"

"You must be thirsty," Jakob said, trying to recover from the abruptness of the question. "Allow me to finish brewing you some more." He set to work pouring cream and sugar into the tea he had already prepared. However, that wasn't all he put into it. He also added something else, something it killed him to add to her nightly tea, but something he knew was necessary if this charade was to continue. A single drop from the vial Jakob always kept tucked in the pocket of his vest. A vial the king made sure to restock every month. A vial that erased anything that had to do with Lady Nicole's childhood, and, on the rare occasion she dreamed about her homeland, her dreams too.

"Here you go Milady," Jakob said with a brittle smile that felt liable to shatter at any moment.

"Thank you, Jakob," Nicole responded with a confused smile, wondering at the strange behavior of her retainers. She took a long sip of the tea and a vacant expression came over her face, clouding her eyes for a moment before she gave them all a beaming smile. "It's delicious, but remind me again… what were we talking about?" She said with a slight furrow in her brow as her smile gradually faded.

"Your dream, Milady. The one about Princess Elise's tea party," Flora supplied.

"Ah, that's it! Thank you Flora. Now, will you help me get ready before Xander breaks down the door to find out what's taking us so long?" She asked with a small smile, both dream and lapse in memory forgotten. Then again, that was the nature of the draft Jakob had given her.

"Of course Lady Nicole," Felicia assured her as Jakob and Gunter left the room, gathering Nicole's armor to prepare her for the "training session".

Jakob sighed once outside Nicole's room, the guilt suffocating him. Gunter placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder with an expression of guilt on his weathered face similar to the one Jakob wore. Not that he would ever admit it, but the brief moment of camaraderie was reassuring. Even if he was deceiving the most important person in his life, at least he wasn't alone in his sins.

* * *

Xander was angry. Well, perhaps angry was not the right word. He wasn't sure the person who had caused this unnamed emotion could ever make his truly angry.

Frustrated, that was it.

He gave another impatient sigh, finally drawing the gaze of his younger brother.

"Did you really not expect her to oversleep? I know you demand quite a bit out of Nicole, but you should never expect her to wake up early. You are bound to be disappointed," Leo said in an amused tone.

Another sigh in response. "I know, but for her to forget this lesson in particular…"

"It's not like this session slipped her mind, she's just asleep. Her retainers are already attempting to wake her up, and you know Flora and Felicia can use their ice magic if all else fails," Leo responded in an attempt to placate his impatient brother.

They had arrived about half an hour ago, and Nicole had yet to make an appearance. Leo had tried to delay Xander during the journey, knowing Nicole was unlikely to be awake if they came too early, but he could only do so much. Now, Xander was growing more and more frustrated with every minute that passed as they waited for her.

Deep down, Leo was worried for his sister. An annoyed Xander would be much harder to best than a cheerful Xander. And if Nicole didn't win… Leo didn't let his thoughts go that far. She _would_ win, she had to. If she didn't, he'd never get a moment's respite from Elise's whining about wanting Nicole out of the fortress.

"I'm sure she is on her way ri-," his reassurances were interrupted by the sound of the door to the roof crashing open. A purple haired maiden sprinted through the door at full speed while pulling on silver gauntlets. Her unruly, waist-length hair trailed behind her as her ruby eyes settled on her brothers standing in the middle of the circular roof.

"Well, speak of the devil," Leo said in greeting, smirking at his sister.

"You're late," said Xander. His eyebrows were raised, and his lips were faintly quirked into something that resembled a smile, but the look in his eyes promised a brutal training session for her tardiness.

Leo and Xander saw Nicole gulp at the look Xander gave her, and both men internally chuckled at the flicker of fear they saw in her eyes.

 _Well,_ Leo thought, _at least she has a some sense of self-preservation._

* * *

I shouted in pain as the dull training sword bit into my side and fell away from my assailant. Xander certainly wasn't going to take it easy on me. I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything but a brutal training session considering how late I was.

"Is that all Nicole? You keep me waiting for the better part of an hour and then you fall so quickly to my blade? Ready yourself again," Xander commanded. For a crown prince, he could be awfully impatient.

"It's not just Xander's training you're supposed to be demonstrating," Leo admonished me from the sidelines, "remember my training as well. I've spent considerable time tutoring you in tactical knowledge."

I was tempted to snap back at him, but I held my tongue as I knew that wouldn't get me anywhere. I knew tactics, sure, but right now all that did was show me how very much doomed I was. Tactics didn't help when you were up against someone ten times stronger than you were.

 _But it does help when you're twice as fast as your opponent._ I thought, an idea quickly forming in my head. Xander was about as fast as me normally, but he had on twice as much bulky armor as I did. It would slow him down, and give me the edge I needed to win.

I stood up with only minor difficulty and prepared to face Xander again. He sat upon his horse at the far end of the roof, waiting for me to come to him. I charged straight at him, knowing he expected me to ignore Leo's advice and choose brawn over brains. As I predicted, an exasperated expression came over his face as he prepared to deflect my head on assault. At the last second I dashed to the right and swung my sword upwards, severing the reigns he used to steer the mount he had somehow brought up to roof. Normally, he'd be able to deflect an attack like this easily, by he hadn't expected me to go after his reigns.

He fell from his horse and landed heavily on his back. Before he could so much as twitch towards his sword, I pointed my practice blade at his neck.

"And you're dead," I said with relish, basking in the feeling of finally beating Xander in a sparring match.

"Yeah, after he killed you five times over," Leo said with a smirk from the sidelines.

"Leo, can't you just let me have my moment?" I responded in exasperation. His response was merely a widening of said smirk, much to my displeasure.

Xander stood, giving me a nod of approval and started making his way over to where Leo had been standing during our duel. I followed behind and noticed something rather… odd about Leo's attire. A wicked smile came over my face as I thought about exactly how I would use this knew piece of information.

However, it wouldn't serve me well at this particular moment. It was like Leo said. He trained me in tactics, and one of his first lessons was to never give up an advantage until it can serve you to maximum effect. I was only following his advice after all.

"Well done, little princess," Xander said when I reached them. "You've finally bested me in single combat."

"Of course, if this were an actual battlefield, I doubt the enemy would let you warm up for five rounds before starting the actual duel," Leo said, once again rubbing my face in the fact that Xander still bested me five times out of six.

"At least I can actually best him in swordplay," I responded with an equal amount of snark.

"At least I can get up in the morning without the aid of _four retainers_ ," he retorted.

 _Checkmate,_ "At least I can actually dress myself in the morning," I said, relishing in his dumbfounded expression as he glanced down at his clothes. His face turned as red as his beloved tomatoes when he realized his collar is inside out.

I cackled mischievously while Leo desperately tried to right his collar with little success, embarrassment making his normally deft fingers clumsy. Meanwhile, Xander smiled and rolled his eyes in response to our antics.

"Oh, my poor Leo! Do you need help with your collar?" Came a voice from behind me. I turned to see a beautiful lavender haired woman and a cheerful girl with long blond hair in pigtails coming through the door I had crashed through earlier.

Leo blushed even more, humiliated that Camilla and Elise were now here to witness his wardrobe mishap. I half thought his head would explode from embarrassment as Camilla strode over to him and fixed his collar. I giggled, refraining from tormenting Leo further. Elise, however, had no such qualms as she took pleasure in further embarrassing her older brother.

"Well big bro, at least your shoes are on the right feet this time!" She said in her usual overexcited, peppy manner. Her eyes glinted mischievously as she readied another barrage of insults to hurl at Leo.

"Alright, that's enough, let's give Leo a break," Xander said, finally deciding to take mercy on his younger brother. "Besides, we have to give Nicole the good news."

"Oh, she won the duel then," Camilla said, a brilliant smile on her face.

"Well, that depends on you definition of winning," Leo responded, only to receive a sharp elbow in the side from me.

"Yes, she won which means-" Xander started.

"Oh, let me tell her Xander," Camilla pleaded. "Nicole, you're coming back to the castle with us! You finally get to leave this drafty fortress!"

I froze, not entirely believing what I was hearing. Leave the fortress? I'd never left the fortress in living memory. "So the duel was a test," I asked slowly, still not fully comprehending that I was finally able to leave.

"Yep, I actually managed to keep it a secret for an entire week!" Elise exclaimed, practically bouncing from happiness.

"I'm truly leaving?" I asked, once more trying to ascertain this was real.

The smiles and encouraging nods from my siblings were what finally convinced me that I was _actually_ leaving. I smiled and hugged my siblings as tears gathered in the corners of my eyes. Their joyful banter and congratulatory words quickly gave way to talk of preparation for the trip to the capital. It was decided that Gunter and Jakob would accompany me while Flora and Felicia would stay behind and join us at a later date. I was saddened that they were staying behind, but I knew we would see each other again soon.

In a few short hours, everything I would be taking with me was packed, Jakob and Gunter were ready, and I'd said my goodbyes to the twins. We walked to the stables, waiting for Elise to gather few things from the room she used when she was allowed to stay overnight, and found Lilith, my friend from the stables.

"I'm so happy for you, Lady Nicole," she said, swinging her blue and red braid over her shoulder to fiddle with it nervously.

"Thank you Lilith. I wish you were coming with us," I said, sad that I would be seperated from her as well as the twins.

"What do you mean? I _am_ coming with you," she said. It was only then that I noticed the large rucksack she was carrying and the traveling clothes she was wearing.

"As good as you are with animals, sister, we do want the horses to survive the trip to the capital, so Lilith will be accompanying us," Leo said sarcastically. I ignored his snark and gave Lilith a beaming smile, happy that there was one less friend I'd be separated from.

Elise returned a few moments later. We mounted our horses and, for the first time in twelve years, I passed through the gates of the Northern Fortress and into the world beyond.

I didn't look back.


	2. A King's Test

**A/N: Hi guys, this is Nicole. This is my first fanfic and I'd like to thank everyone that's read/favorited/reviewed my story so far.**

 **So, aside from creating an entertaining story, my goals for this fanfic are character development and fixing plot holes. With fire emblem character (but especially fates) I felt they made many of the characters a little too gimmicky. One of my goals is to give them more personality and elaborate on their backgrounds. In this chapter, I introduce some characters, and they will sound very gimmicky, but that's just because this is the Avatar's first impression of them. I will eventually get around to giving them more personality beyond their gimmick, so bear with me. Also, I felt like the fire emblem games do have a bad habit of creating lots of plot holes. My goal is to explain some of them. I am aware, though, that in trying to explain them, I could potentially create new ones. Let me know if you catch any of them and I'll do my best to fix it.**

 **Another thing, pairing are open. I have a few loose ideas, but nothing is set in stone.**

 **Disclaimer, I do not own Fire Emblem.**

* * *

I tried to keep myself busy during the long trip to the capital. From Elise teaching me about the different plants of Nohr to taking time to thank each of my siblings for their respective roles in my release from the fortress.

And, of course, meeting my siblings retainers for the first time.

Before my release, no one had been allowed to enter the fortress aside from my retainers, a few servants, and my siblings. Any retainers that accompanied my siblings were forced to wait in a village roughly a mile away from the fortress, so this was my first time meeting all of them. I had been almost as excited to see new faces as I was to simply leave the fortress, and they certainly were… interesting.

Elise's retainers consisted of one girl slightly older than Elise herself and a man around Xander's age. The girl, Effie, wore heavy pink armor that looked like it would topple her at any moment. I remembered her crushing grip as she shook my hand and the smile on her face as she told me how happy she was that Elise was happy about my newfound freedom. It was a strange greeting, but what I didn't know at the time was that it would get a lot stranger before I'd finished meeting my siblings retainers. My first taste of this came while meeting Elise's second retainer, a man named Arthur. He was an axe fighter with strange red and blue armor, and, as I would soon find out, he had extraordinarily bad luck. On his way over to greet me, he tripped over his own discarded axe and fell into a pond near the area we had stopped. He shook it off good-naturedly before giving me his own handshake and rambling on about the justice of my release after being isolated for so long.

Next, I met with Leo's retainers. One of them, I was shocked to learn, was actually hired after he had attempted to steal from the palace. The former thief, Niles, had white hair and an eyepatch. The bow slung casually over his shoulders left little doubt as to what his weapon of choice was. I shook his hand and chatted with him for a few moments. Our conversation certainly was… strange. He almost seemed to be speaking in riddles, hinting at things that flew right over my head. He was rather amused by my reactions, but for the life of me I couldn't figure out why. Leo's other retainer was a woman named Nyx. I had been surprised when I first saw her that Leo would employ someone as young as Nyx to keep him safe, but he assured me she was older than she looked. I tried asking her about it, but it seemed to be a touchy subject. Her initial reaction was a frosty glare and an angry admonition that she was probably far older than I was. As our conversation went on, she gradually warmed to me again, but I made a mental note not to bring up age when in her presence. Leo also took pleasure in telling me Nyx was well versed in ice magic, so with Flora and Felicia not being here… I made a second mental note to never pitch my tent anywhere near hers.

After I met with them, I introduced myself to Camilla's retainers. At least, I made my best attempt at it. My efforts were initially halted by the cold reception of Camilla's first retainer, a wyvern rider named Beruka with short, blue hair and piercing gray eyes. She didn't seem outright hostile, merely standoffish, but regardless of the nature of her icy disposition, my attempts at conversation were met with a brief introduction and a request to leave her alone. Taking into account the fact that she was sharpening a very wicked looking axe at the time, I graciously acquiesced to her request. It was only later that I found out she, like Niles, had been hired after being caught doing something illegal by one the royal siblings. Unlike Niles though, Beruka had been caught during an assassination attempt, which made me slightly concerned about Camilla's taste in bodyguards. Camilla's second retainer, Charlotte, seemed almost normal, especially compared to my siblings other retainers. With long, blond hair, sparkling blue eyes, and respectful personality, she certainly stood out amongst the former assassins and thieves that were my sibling's chosen guardians. When I brought this up with Camilla, however, Leo overheard the conversation and seemed to find something outrageously funny about my praise of Charlotte. My only clue as to what Leo found so humorous was the numerous complaints from Jakob about Charlotte's uncouth behavior, which confused me due to her sweet, respectful disposition whenever I'd talked with her.

Finally, there were Xander's retainers. One of them, a woman named Peri, honestly terrified me a bit. She seemed a little too obsessed with blood and gore in my opinion, but I supposed I should try not to judge her. After all, she had worked to keep my brother safe for the past five years. Still, after her vigorous handshake and an awkward conversation consisting of Peri using her own name as a rather graphic acronym, my faith in my brother's choice of retainers was slightly shaken. His next retainer, a man named Benny, was only frightening in appearance. While Peri had bright blue and pink hair that belied her terrifying personality, Benny was the opposite. He had a frightening appearance consisting of a scarred face and a towering, bulky build that contrasted with his gentle personality. Our first time meeting, we struck up a conversation about common animals in Nohr that ended with him coaxing a rabbit to eat out of his hand. Suffice to say, I thought very highly of Benny after that.

My siblings retainers were definitely different, but they all seemed, at the very least, loyal to my siblings, which was all I truly cared about. And I had to admit, despite their strange personalities, I was overjoyed to finally meet new people after being isolated for so long.

* * *

Jakob was absolutely miserable. Of course, he was happy for his Lady. She seemed to enjoy finally being outside the fortress, and Jakob celebrated her newfound freedom almost as much as she did. However, Jakob's good mood was slowly replaced with melancholy as he was forced to endure the antics of the other retainers.

Princess Elise's retainers, Effie and Arthur, seemed to have a personal vendetta against Lady Nicole's breakfast. On the first morning of their journey, Jakob had been forced to cook his Lady's breakfast three times after two unfortunate incidents regarding the youngest princess's retainers. The first one had been eaten by Effie. How such a small woman could eat his Lady's breakfast in such a short amount of time baffled Jakob. He had barely left it alone for five minutes when he returned to find the plate of food gone. When confronted, Effie merely gave a blunt explanation that she hadn't known it was Lady Nicole's, but there was no apology, no offer to help cook a second breakfast, nothing. Her lack of remorse infuriated Jakob, and the clumsiness of Princess Elise's second retainer did nothing to diffuse the situation. Just as he had finished a second breakfast for his Lady, the great oaf had tripped on something and fell face first into the eggs. That was a solid hour of time lost to cooking breakfast three times over, not to mention two meals wasted. This was not the last incident either. It seemed as if every morning Jakob was forced to endure the antics of those two, which resulted in too much time wasted and many meals lost.

Prince Leo's retainers were no better, or perhaps he should say retainer. Nyx had yet to do anything that warranted his anger. While she could be a bit prickly at times, she had, for the most part, treated Lady Nicole with respect. She was, in Jakob's opinion, a fine retainer for Prince Leo. His other retainer, however, was a horrendous, conniving thief attempting to corrupt his Lady with poisonous words. Jakob had been present at the first meeting between his Lady and Niles, and it had taken all his restraint not to throttle the incorrigible miscreant. Every word out of his mouth had either been disrespectful, insulting, or both. As their journey continued, he noticed Niles treated everyone this way. Most of them ignored it, and Jakob would have as well, if he hadn't spoken so disrespectfully to his Lady. Jakob swore that the tongue on that thief was slowly driving him mad.

Beruka and Charlotte, Princess Camilla's retainers, were both treading on thin ice with regards to their behavior towards Lady Nicole, but for very different reasons. Beruka had acted cold towards his Lady from the moment they were introduced. He learned from others that this was normal, but it infuriated him that she would act so rude towards his Lady. He knew her icy attitude was a source of discomfort for Lady Nicole, and that was unacceptable. And Charlotte… oh, he didn't even know where to begin with Charlotte. He had been relieved upon their introduction that she was polite and, well, _normal._ Especially when compared to the likes of Niles and Arthur. He had soon learned, though, that the facade of a demure, beautiful woman was only an act to climb the ladders of high society. It was quite by accident that she revealed her violent, rude personality, but, now that she had, Charlotte ceased putting on the act in front of him. Jakob thought is was ridiculous, but he would have ignored it had his Lady not been fooled by her facade. Her continual lies to Lady Nicole bothered Jakob, and he knew he would have to have a serious talk with his Lady about Charlotte.

Among Prince Xander's retainers, there was only one he truly had a problem with, and that was Peri. Jakob did not mind Benny. The hulking giant had been kind towards Lady Nicole and had earned her respect, and, therefore, had earned Jakob's as well. Peri, however, was much like Niles, the only difference between the two being that she didn't seem to realize how inappropriate her talk of bloodlust was in the presence of royalty. She approached it with a childlike innocence, as if she didn't know how wrong it was for her to talk of dismemberment with someone as sensitive as Lady Nicole. This only made it all the more frustrating for Jakob. With Niles, he would just lecture him about his unsavory words. He may only get an infuriating smirk in response, but at least he was assured Niles knew that he was acting disrespectfully. Jakob had no idea how to approach the topic with Peri, especially since he didn't have any desire to become the next bloodstain on her lance.

His current task, making Lady Nicole's nightly tea, was doing nothing to improve his mood. If anything, it mingled guilt with his annoyance to further his misery.

In his youth, making tea had filled him with pride and happiness at being able to serve his closest friend, but that changed once he had been charged with poisoning Lady Nicole's drink with a memory potion, a task which had previously been Gunter's responsibility. The once enjoyable task was now done with great reluctance, spurred only by fear of what would happen if he refused.

He blended the tea with cream and sugar just how his Lady liked it and added the final ingredient, a single drop from the accursed vial in his vest pocket. He closed his eyes, unable to watch the drop of blue liquid fall into the teapot.

Jakob arranged the tea tray and walked out of the tent that served as a temporary mess hall, dodging various people on his way to deliver Lady Nicole her tea. The small army of royalty and retainers had settled in a large plain for the night, but the sea of large grey tents made the space feel narrow and claustrophobic, a nightmare for someone balancing a tray of scalding tea and delicate china. Despite this, he made it to his Lady's tent with no incidents, both tray and tea safe.

"Hello Jakob," Nicole said, glancing up from her book upon his entry.

"Good evening, Milady. I have brought your nightly tea," Jakob responded, his smile a little forced as he set the tray down and proceeded to pour her a cup.

"Thank you. I was just thinking about going to the mess hall for a drink, so your timing is excellent."

"Here you are Milady," he said, hand shaking slightly as it did every time he was forced to do this to her. He was so focused on his task, he didn't notice the discarded training sword lying in the middle of the room until he tripped over it. This, coupled with his shaky hand, was enough to send the teacup from his grasp, causing it to crash to the floor and shatter. Jakob stared in horror. It had been years since he had broken a dish or spilled tea. He glanced up and saw a look of disbelief on Nicole's face.

"Jakob… did you just…"

"Yes, my apologies. I shall pour you another cup and clean this mess up post haste," he said quickly, not wanting to hear her finish the question. He heard her giggle lightly and knew he would not escape this situation that easily.

"Wow, it's been ages since you broke a dish. Imagine what Felicia would say! Are you sure you two aren't secretly related?" Nicole said, a glimmer of mischief in her eyes and a small smile on her face.

"Yes, quite sure. And even if we were, I wouldn't want to know," he grumbled, realizing belatedly the significance of what he said. His misstep became even clearer with his Lady's response.

"Why not? I'd want to know if Felicia and I were secretly related. I mean, we'd be family right? There's nothing more important than family," she said, unaware of the surge of guilt that came with her words.

Jakob froze, his hand inches away from placing the second cup of tea in Lady Nicole's outstretched palm. They stood in complete stillness for a few seconds, Nicole adopting a confused smile and Jakob gaining a pained expression.

He realized he had two options: cowardice or courage. He could give her the tea and continue lying to her about her origins, or he could withhold the tea. He could finally reveal the truth, and end the cruel lie that had trapped her for twelve years.

Jakob chose cowardice and handed her the tea. She accepted the cup in her outstretched palm and sipped it, the same vacant expression as before coming over her face.

"Thank you, Jakob," she said, giving him a beaming smile, a smile of absolute trust. A smile that made Jakob feel sick with self loathing.

"Your welcome, Lady Nicole," he responded, giving her a smile that looked more like a grimace and leaving as fast as was respectful.

Once outside, he took the vial out of his pocket and stared at the blue liquid contained within it. How could such a small thing carry so much misery? He wondered if he should throw it away, smash it against the rocks and watch the azure liquid sink into the dirt.

But in the end, as always, Jakob chose cowardice and tucked the vial back in his pocket.

* * *

Leo was angry. Well, perhaps _angry_ wasn't the right word. The subject of his ire hadn't done anything to warrant anger, she hadn't even known she _was_ doing anything. Maybe that was what made it so annoying.

Ah, annoyance, that was the feeling.

Leo had been overjoyed to see his sister finally free of the fortress, her excitement infecting the rest of Leo's siblings and, admittedly, Leo himself. However, that had been five days ago, at the very beginning of their journey. While the others didn't seem to feel any differently, Leo felt his patience being worn down by his older sister's antics. He understood that Nicole had been confined to a lonely fortress for most of her life and that she wanted to enjoy the sights now that she was free.

But did that mean they had to stop literally _every_ time she saw a flower?

Seriously, orchids, hyacinths, lilies, roses… the list went on and on. Leo had learned more about flowers in the past five days than he had ever truly wanted to know. Well, if being a prince didn't work out, he could always open a flower shop. He was knowledgeable enough about the useless things by now. And how did they even find all of these flowers? Nohrian soil could only be described as barren at the best of times, so Leo was baffled as to how Nicole kept spotting them.

And of course Elise wasn't helping. If anything, she was encouraging the frequent stops Nicole requested with lengthy explanations of what the different flowers were called, the different colors they could be, where they were likely to grow.

And the meaning behind the flowers. Seriously, different flowers had different meanings? Leo was absolutely disgusted by these discussions. What had he done in a previous life to warrant such cruelty from the gods? Why was he forced to listen to his little sister prattle on about the deeper meaning behind daffodils?

Why was a journey that shouldn't have taken more than four days already approaching the end of the fifth?

Leo was just about to interrupt the discussion between Xander and Benny to discuss the lamentable pace of their journey when the subject of his ire rode up next to him.

"Hi Leo," she said cheerfully, happier than he had seen her in years. His protests and complaints died in his throat as he saw her light hearted expression.

"Hello Nicole," he responded, with a degree of resignation in his tone his elder sister failed to pick up on. "Was there something you needed?"

"No, I just wanted to talk with my little brother," she exclaimed happily, taking care to emphasize the word little. "It feels like I've had a chance to talk with everyone else except you."

That was true. Between chatting with Elise about flowers and meeting the retainers, Nicole had little time to talk with Leo, not that he minded.

Her bright smile gave way to a bashful expression as she said, "I just wanted to thank you for… supporting me and tutoring me in tactics… and everything else you've done for me over the years," she trailed off shyly, a characteristic not usually associated with the personable princess.

Swallowing his earlier annoyance, he simply responded, "My pleasure," giving his sister a warm smile. He felt pretty proud his restraint until…

"Oh look at those flowers!" Nicole exclaimed, trotting off.

 _Gods give me strength._ Leo thought to himself watching Elise and Nicole start yet another flower related conversation. _I'm going to need it if I'm to survive the rest of this trip._

* * *

We arrived at Castle Krakenburg six days after we had set out from the Northern Fortress. As exciting as the journey to the capital had been, I was even more excited by the prospect of finally exploring the town itself, along with the castle. My excitement was somewhat dimmed, however, by the frightening sight that greeted me when we came within viewing distance of Windmire, the capital city.

While I had imagined many times over how Windmire looked during my daydreams about leaving the fortress, my siblings had never actually described it to me. I now wondered whether this was simply an honest mistake on their part or if they had purposefully kept the frightening appearance of both the town and the castle a secret.

The city, if you could call it that, was practically abandoned. The dark sky overhead cast strange shadows on the ramshackle buildings that made up the majority of Windmire. As our party rode through, the only signs of life that could be seen was the occasional twitch of a curtain over the few windows that weren't boarded up. There was no fanfare or celebration to welcome back the royal children, and the stalls that lined the streets remained empty, the owners seemingly abandoning their businesses.

The castle was somewhat better than the city. From the lip of the large crater the castle was built in I could already see signs of life, but it still didn't feel quite right. When I had imagined the castle, I always thought of white turrets with red pillars and brightly colored banners decorating it all. I don't know why I always pictured Castle Krakenburg styled like that, it was just what popped into my head whenever I thought about what a castle should look like. The castle in the center of the crater, however, looked absolutely nothing like I'd imagined. Decorated in hues of black and dark purple, the castle would have been ominous even without the perpetually dark sky. Add to that the sharp angles and questionable choice of gargoyle statues in the castle's design and you had an evil villain's castle straight out of the fantasy novels Leo claims I spend too much time reading.

Tastes in architecture aside, I vowed not to judge both city and castle too harshly until I had a chance to explore them.

We passed the gates into the castle with little fanfare, stopping only to hand our mounts over to the stable hands and see Lilith situated in her new accommodations. Camilla seemed to notice my troubled thoughts, though, and struck up a conversation with me on the way to the throne room.

"So, what are your first impressions of your new home?" Camilla asked me, a smirk on her face as if she already knew exactly what my answer would be.

"Well, the castle is nice, but… why does the city look so empty? Where is everyone?" I questioned.

"Oh, darling… you didn't think that was the true beating heart of Windmire, did you? When we get a chance to show you around, I'll make sure to introduce you to the _real_ town center," she answered with a wink and a look on her face that made me more nervous than anything else.

"O-okay," I replied skeptically, unsure if I really wanted to follow Camilla anywhere when she had such a mischievous look on her face.

Camilla strode ahead to discuss something with Xander and I was once again left alone to admire the interior of Krakenburg. Much like the outside, the inside was decorated in dark colors, only the occasional red carpet adding anything bright to the otherwise gloomy atmosphere. The decor, as well, was dismal and dark, mostly consisting of faded tapestries depicting battles long since past and portraits of somber monarchs.

After trekking through more hallways than I could ever remember, we finally arrived at an ornate set of double doors. At about triple my height, the doors signified that we had finally reached the throne room. A pair of guards on either side of the door saluted us and proceeded to open the doors. A squeak of the hinges, a few steps forward, and I was finally inside the throne room of Castle Krakenburg.

* * *

Xander took a deep breath, trying to reassure himself that nothing bad would happen. Of course it wouldn't. Nicole was a part of the family and his beloved little sister; Father would never hurt her. His fear was completely baseless and an insult to his Father's kindness.

But then why did he still feel nervous?

It was just because they were late, that was all. Father appreciated tardiness about as much as Xander did. He was sure to be annoyed by the delay, but he wouldn't do anything to truly harm Nicole.

Right?

As they approached the throne at the end of the room, Xander noticed the changes in his sibling's expressions. Elise lost some of her peppy attitude, Leo's face grew even more serious, Nicole lost some of the wide eyed wonder she had viewed everything with since leaving the fortress, and Camilla lost the motherly look in her eyes. He knew the reason for this change. It wasn't the throne with its spiny branches twisting ominously along the far wall. It wasn't the obsidian color of the throne that seemed to swallow all the light in the room. It was the figure sitting casually on top of the throne that had caused this change in his siblings.

Xander had to admit, the king of Nohr was a frightening figure. When he stood tall, he easily reached Xander's towering height. The armor he wore added to his impressive bulk and showcased his immense strength through his ability to bear its weight. Xander understood his sibling's anxiety, even if he couldn't afford to feel it himself. As a crown prince, he couldn't afford to feel any fear, much less fear of his own father.

They halted at the foot of the steps leading to the throne, Xander and Leo bowing while their sisters curtsied. A few moments passed, the royal children waiting to be addressed by the king, too afraid to interrupt the uncomfortable silence that had descended upon the throne room.

"You are late," King Garon said in a deep, gravelly tone.

"My apologies, Father. We were a bit delayed during our journey," Xander replied as an explanation for their tardiness. In hindsight, he realized it would have been prudent to come up with an excuse, but there was no helping it now.

"Silence, boy. I do not want to hear flimsy excuses from you, I want to hear an apology from the actual cause of the delay," he said, voice just shy of shouting and face set in an impatient scowl.

They all paused for a moment before realizing the king wished for Nicole to speak. "My apologies, Father," she said, eyes downcast and voice apologetic. "It was… irresponsible of me to delay us so long. I will perform your commands with the utmost haste in the future."

Xander let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. He had been half worried she would bring up the frequent stops they had made for flowers during the trip back to the capital. While Xander thought everyone but Leo had found it charming, he knew that no one, not even Elise, would get away with something like that with Father.

"Hmmm, well no matter. Now that you are here, I wish to test you myself to ascertain that no familial attachments clouded your sibling's judgement when they declared you ready to leave the confines of the fortress," Garon responded after deeming Nicole's apology satisfactory.

Xander stiffened once again. Another test? He had never been informed about another test. The ball of dread in the pit of his stomach only grew heavier as his father presented Nicole with a sword. The sword, much like his own, exuded a dark, pulsating energy. It was a generous gift, but his father wasn't known to be a generous man.

"This weapon is called Ganglari. It is a powerful sword infused with magic from another world. I would have you put this sword to its proper use for your test. Guards, bring out the prisoners!" King Garon declared. It slowly dawned on Xander what his father's test would be, and it made him all the more scared for his younger sister.

The grand doors leading to the throne room were once again opened to admit a group of four Hoshidan soldiers. The group included an oni savage, a ninja, and two samurais. Xander was just about to voice his complaints about a four on one battle when the king acquiesced to Jakob and Gunter's request to join Nicole in the fight.

Despite the odds being shifted in Nicole's favor, Xander still wanted to protest sending her into battle without her siblings. However, he knew that would do far more harm than good. The king might question whether Nicole was truly ready to leave the fortress if even her own brother didn't have faith in her abilities, so Xander decided he would hold his tongue. Besides, if something went wrong, he could simply charge into the battle and eliminate all of the remaining soldiers who dared threaten his sister.

Better confined in the fortress again than dead.

But Nicole surprised him. Her tactics rivaled even the genius strategies of Leo. Using the dragon vein to clear the rubble in the center of the room and ambushing the Hoshidans from the newly cleared space was remarkably clever on her part. He watched her gracefully dodge enemy attacks and incapacitate the prisoners with the aid of Jakob's daggers and Gunter's lance. It made him proud to see her put his training to use so effectively. He spared Leo a quick glance and saw him struggling to conceal a similar look of pride.

That still didn't stop him from worrying, though. Every toss of a shuriken from the ninja, every heavy blow from the oni savage, every swing from a katana just a _little_ too close for comfort had Xander tense and ready to charge into the fray. At one point, Camilla even had to lay a firm hand on Xander's shoulder to keep him from tearing the ninja to shreds after a lucky throw of a shuriken drew a thin line of blood on Nicole's arm.

But finally, after what felt like hours, Nicole stood triumphant over the now disarmed Hoshidans. The royals stood waiting for Nicole to deliver the finishing blows to each of them, but it never came. She simply stood there, waiting for Father to end the test. Xander tensed once again as he realized Nicole had never been expected to kill before, nor did she expect to be forced to now. Her reaction to their father's next order would not be pleasant.

"What are you waiting for? Kill them and complete your test," King Garon ordered. As expected, Nicole looked to the king with horror and fear in her eyes. Still, Xander had confidence that she would do her duty as a Nohrian princess and finish off the Hoshidans. His confidence turned to fear, though, as a few more moments passed and Nicole made no move towards the defenseless prisoners.

"But Father…. they're defeated. Surely we can show them mercy," Nicole pleaded after a few beats of silence. Xander felt his heart sink, knowing this would not end well for Nicole no matter what she did at this point. For as long as he could remember, all of King Garon's children had been taught that the one thing they could never do, under any circumstances, was question the king. But Nicole hadn't been raised with them. She didn't grow up with the same expectations the other royal children had. It had never been drilled into her to always follow the king's command without question, and she was about to pay for it.

"Nicole, I am ordering to kill the Hoshidans. Now," King Garon said, his voice dangerously calm.

"No, they have been disarmed. It would be dishonorable to continue this fight," she responded, gaining confidence as she mistook the calm before the storm for consideration of her request.

"Insolent brat," the king spat, a dangerous gleam already in his eyes, "if your soft heart prevents you from killing the Hoshidans like the dogs they are, allow me to do it for you." With a wave of his hand, King Garon released a powerful magic attack dangerously close to Nicole that immediately killed the two samurais. He moved to finish off the oni savage and the ninja when Nicole jumped in front of them, her sword absorbing most of the blow.

Xander and his siblings stared at their sister in horror. It wasn't the action itself that spawned their horror, it was the consequences of her actions that concerned them. The normal price for insubordination such as this was death. Xander didn't think Nicole would be dealt a punishment that harsh, but still…

"Father, please forgive her. She has yet to fully comprehend our situation after being isolated for so long," Xander said, trying desperately to diffuse the situation.

"Fine, then you execute them, my son. Along with anyone that gets in your way," King Garon replied. Xander froze, his heart skipping a beat as he realized what his father was implying. He strode up to the prisoners, desperately hoping that Nicole would move out of his way and allow him to deal with this.

"Xander… I won't move. I won't let you kill them," Nicole said, defiance in her ruby eyes. He should have known better than to hope she would cooperate. When she set her mind to something, not even the gods could dissuade her.

"Nicole, stand down. I do not wish to fight you, but you will give me no choice if you remain in my way," Xander replied, trying one last time to make his sister see reason. She drew her sword once again, but this time, she pointed it at him instead of the enemy she had trained most of her life to fight.

Xander sighed in resignation before drawing his own sword and slashing it at Nicole. He took care to only hit her with the flat edge of his blade so he would merely knock her aside instead of truly hurting her. The minor blows he dealt seemed to only encourage her, though, as her attacks on him grew more and more desperate, never hurting him, but still preventing him from reaching the remaining prisoners.

Xander was just beginning to worry he would have to use greater force to get Nicole to move when a secondary magical attack struck the prisoners. This magic was different, though. While the king had used a powerful fire spell, this magic came from a unique tome that could only be used by…

"Leo!" Nicole shouted, devastated to see the prisoners she had tried so hard to protect killed in front of her.

"Father, I have dispatched the prisoners on behalf of my siblings. My only request is that you pardon Nicole. She merely needs more time to fully grasp Nohr's plight," Leo said, ignoring Nicole's shout of protest.

"Enough! I shall consider this matter later. For now, I shall retire to my chambers. I do not wish to be disturbed by anyone or there _will_ be consequences," King Garon threatened, exiting the throne room and leaving the royal siblings alone together.

Xander sighed when his father left. He turned around to see Nicole angrily stalking towards Leo, ready to berate him for the role he had played in the prisoner's demise. Leo calmed her down quickly, though, much to his surprise. When he walked over to where his siblings were standing, he found out how.

"Way to go Leo! I knew you wouldn't kill them!" Elise cheered.

"Yes, well done. That's the sweet little brother I know and love," Camilla said softly from beside Elise.

"Thanks Leo," Nicole said bashfully. "I'm sorry for doubting your good intentions."

Leo blushed at all the praise he was receiving from his sisters, mumbling something about not putting up with Elise's complaining if Xander and Nicole killed each other before turning to Xander.

"They should be waking up soon. I would recommend having them taken to an area they are less likely to be spotted before then," Leo advised him, knowing that Xander would be able to sneak them out of the palace.

"I shall inform the guards to move their remains to my chambers to examine as we leave," Xander replied, already planning the best time and place to release the prisoners.

"Thank you Xander. I'm sorry that you have to go to all of this trouble to free them, but I'm not sorry for what I did," Nicole said, defiant look still in her eyes. She seemed genuinely sorry that her actions negatively impacted Xander, but he was more concerned about her lack of remorse for disobeying their father's orders.

"Mark my words, little princess. One day, an act of kindness will be the death of you," Xander said, trying to convince her not to take such foolhardy actions in the future.

"At least I will die without regrets," she shot back with enough conviction that Xander knew she meant it.

He didn't know how to respond. He wanted to yell at her. Shout that she should never speak of her life with such little regard. She should do everything in her power to stay with them. She should never think of her death without feeling regret, not if there is a way to prevent it.

"Well said," he responded instead of voicing any of the thoughts he actually wanted her to hear. He would merely have to watch over her for the time being and await their father's sentence.

He only hoped she wouldn't come to regret her decision once their father passed his judgement.

* * *

I was alone in the chambers I had been shown to after the battle. Located in the wing of the palace reserved for royalty, the room was spacious and luxuriously decorated. However, when all you had for company were your thoughts, such large accommodations merely felt lonely. And right now, my thoughts weren't very pleasant.

How could things have gone so wrong? It had seemed like a dream come true when my siblings had first told me I was finally free of the fortress. I had laughed, I had celebrated, I had cried tears of joy, but I had never, ever thought I would come to regret winning that duel with Xander.

From the first moment my father had opened his mouth to his dramatic exit after the battle, he had shown nothing but disdain for my presence. There was no greeting, no joy at seeing me for the first time in twelve years, just annoyance at our tardiness and an admonition for keeping him waiting.

And then there was his test.

At first, I had been excited to prove myself, especially after his generous gift. The revelation that he intended to initiate a mock battle with Hoshidan prisoners worried me, but I told myself he merely wished for my first battlefield experience to be in a controlled environment. I still remembered the surge of pride I had felt after I disarmed them, turning to my father while desperately seeking approval in his eyes. Instead, I had been met with the cold expectation to murder them.

And my siblings, they had stood by and said _nothing._ Even Elise, sweet little Elise, had merely stood by and waited for me to eliminate the Hoshidans. Then Xander followed Father's orders and, instead of standing up for what he _knew_ was the right, turned his blade on me. I didn't know what to think. This was a new side of my siblings I wished I had remained ignorant of. Maybe I shouldn't judge them, maybe I would have turned out exactly the same if I had grown up in the palace, but I still couldn't reconcile the siblings I had grown up knowing with the cold, distant people I saw in the throne room.

However, the prisoners had been spared in the end, which I thanked Leo profusely for. I only hesitated to put the entire incident behind because I knew they would have been killed without a second thought if it hadn't been for my intervention.

"Milady, Lord Xander has requested your presence in the Eastern garden," Jakob said, interrupting my silent brooding.

I stood, following Jakob through a seemingly endless maze of corridors, all with the same depressing color scheme and frightening decorations. After what seemed like hours of walking we finally arrived at a small courtyard connecting the palace to a larger garden. As Leo had informed me earlier, the garden, while still patrolled, wasn't as heavily guarded as the rest of the palace. From there, the prisoners would have to make their way to the main gate undetected, but Xander had arranged a fifteen minute period of time where, due to unfortunate scheduling errors, the gate would not be watched. It was still risky, leaving a lack of late night wanderers to chance, but there was no other way out of Krakenburg.

We soon approached a small group of people standing at the edge of the garden. Xander glanced at me as we came closer and signaled to his retainers to start undoing the prisoner's bindings. By the time we reached them, their hands were free and Xander was instructing them to leave quickly and quietly.

"You," the ivory haired oni savage began upon seeing me. "You are the one who 'freed' us?"

"Yes," I responded slowly, unsure of where she was going with this.

"My name is Rinkah, daughter of the Flame Tribe's chieftain. Remember the name well, for when next we meet, I will make you pay for besmirching my honor," with that threat, she abruptly ended the conversation and hurried away from me, probably aware none of us had the time for small talk. Not when we could be discovered any moment. Her companion, the green haired ninja, searched my face for a moment before following in suit. And just like that, both Hoshidans disappeared from Castle Krakenburg.

"With an attitude like that, I have half a mind to send my retainers after that sharp tongued savage," Xander said, face set in an indignant scowl.

"Leave it be, Xander. She probably just lashed out because she was scared," I responded in an attempt to placate him.

"Still, with a threat such as that we will have to be wary of both of them in the future. Rinkah and… what was the ninja's name," he paused, trying to remember if the man's name had been mentioned.

"Kaze," I replied. Upon seeing Xander's questioning look, I decided to elaborate. "We had a conversation during the battle. It was strange, though. When I gave him my name, it almost seemed like he recognized it."

"Well you are a Nohrian princess, it's only natural that many would recognize your name," he responded, but I couldn't help but notice the odd look that crossed his face when he heard that Kaze recognized my name. It almost seemed like a combination of fear and… guilt. But what did Xander have to feel guilty about?

He was probably just worried about Rinkah's threat. Xander was always worrying about the safety of his family, so it was only natural for him to be concerned about a woman who promised to do me harm knowing my name.

I decided to put Xander's strange reaction from my mind. I decided to put my siblings earlier actions from my mind as well. They had come through for me in the end, and I didn't truly feel that I had the right to judge them, not when I had been at the palace for less than a day. I didn't know the rules here yet, I didn't know how much I would have change to survive. The only thing I knew was that my siblings would be there for me no matter what.

So I let it go and prayed to the gods I wouldn't regret it.


	3. The Heart of Windmire

**A/N: Okay, so this chapter is sort of an in between chapter focusing on character development and setting up the plot from different characters perspectives.**

 **In this chapter, there is one character in particular whose character gimmick I try and explain/ improve upon... please don't shoot me when you read it.**

 **I also would like to thank Cerenda and Antex- The Legendary Zoroark for reviewing my story and give Cerenda credit for editing this chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem.**

* * *

Growing up in a place like Castle Krakenburg had been hard for Elise. In a place where rumors flew like birds and secrets were exchanged like currency, there were few truths she could be absolutely sure of. One such truth was this: everybody underestimated her, her siblings, her retainers, everyone. She couldn't really blame them, though.

Not when she had deliberately cultivated the image of a cheery, childish little sister.

It hadn't been her original intent. It was merely an unfortunate side effect of her true goal, a goal she had been working towards for years.

It had all started when she was young, almost too young to remember, not that she particularly wanted to. Her mother, consumed by greed and a thirst for power, treated Elise as little more than a pawn to win the king's favor. Suffice to say, Elise hadn't received much motherly love in her early years. And her father, he was the king. He didn't have time to dote on her. Deprived of both a mother and a father figure, Elise had grown up a quiet, depressed child unnoticed by everyone.

And then her siblings had come into her life.

Xander had quickly taken over the role of father figure, doting on her and protecting her from the harsh realities of the court. Soon after, Camilla became a mother figure to Elise, giving her love and affection. She was always ready with _something_ to remedy all of her woes, whether it be a warm hug or sage advice, Elise could always rely on Camilla to help. Nicole was the tolerant playmate that always humored Elise's childish fantasies, fulfilling the role of sister while Camilla took up the mantle of motherly figure. Finally, Leo was the know-it-all older brother that she constantly bickered with. And despite how annoying that could be at times, Elise still loved him dearly for it.

They had all been there for her, been _exactly_ who she needed them to be in her early years. When she had grown old enough to realize what they had done for her, she vowed to return the favor. She vowed to always be what they needed her to be. Her only problem was figuring out what that was.

Xander was the pillar of strength, the one they could always rely on to be strong in the face of adversity. Camilla, the mother of the group, doting on everyone with love and affection, even Xander at times. Nicole was the kind, charismatic one that would never hurt so much as a fly. And finally, there was Leo, the smart, studious one that always had a plan to get out of any situation the siblings found themselves in. Faced with such amazing siblings, what could she possibly contribute to the fold? Elise remembered thinking long and hard about how she would repay her siblings. But how could she repay them when they already had everything they needed? Just when she had been about to give up, Elise figured out what she could do.

She knew how much the crown weighed on Xander. He had been so happy when he was younger, shy, but happy. That changed when the crown started to enter into his life. As the years went by, he smiled less and less. His once loud, boisterous laugh was rarely heard and he began spending more time away from his siblings, off on missions for father.

Camilla, Elise could tell, was haunted. She had seen Camilla fight, she had seen the wild fury behind each swing of her sister's axe. She knew that _something_ had to be fueling anger, even if she didn't know what at the time. She only found out later that Camilla's mother, much like Elise's, had used her as a pawn to win King Garon's attention and that this resulted in a deep seeded anger that only showed itself in Camilla's berserker like fighting style.

Nicole was much different from Xander and Camilla. She didn't have many responsibilities to wear her down and her lack of early memories prevented any traumatic childhood memories from haunting her. However, she was lonely. Being isolated in a fortress for as long as she could remember would be hard on anyone, let alone someone as kind and sociable as Nicole. She put on a brave face for her siblings, but Elise knew she was depressed.

And then there was Leo. He was lonely too, but his isolation was self imposed. He pretended to enjoy being alone. He pretended to be prickly and unfeeling, but Elise knew he just wasn't very good at communicating his feelings. He would isolate himself amongst his books for days at a time, but he didn't enjoy it.

All her siblings, in one way or another, were burdened. For Xander, it was his crown. Camilla, her past. Nicole was lonely, and Leo couldn't express his emotions. They were all depressed and the one thing the needed, above all else, was someone to cheer them up. They needed Elise to be the sweet little sister bursting with energy and passion. They needed her to be a light to chase away the darkness in their hearts. And after all they had done for her, could she deny them that?

When she was younger, it had come so naturally to her. She had been peppy and energetic and all the things she only pretended to be now. Sure, as she grew up she was still happy and much more cheerful than her siblings, but she had matured a lot over the years. While she acted like a kid for her siblings, the trauma in her past had only matured her young mind, introducing her to horrors far beyond her years. And that was only her mental maturity. If her siblings would ever allow it, she could be a formidable force on the battlefield. From Leo, she had learned tactics and strategy and from Camilla she had begun learning how to use magic. She was still a novice in both, only picking up bits and pieces from playing chess with Leo and watching Camilla learn magic on her path to becoming a malig knight, but she was slowly becoming proficient in both. And she was already a great healer, better than her siblings knew.

There were times she wanted to put an end to the charade, show her siblings her true mental fortitude, but then she would remember her childhood and everything they had done for her. A distant part of her knew that they would never resent her for growing up and they might even be upset with her for trying to change herself for them, but she also knew how much they loved her cheerful personality and how much comfort they took in having her around. How could she take that away from them?

Things had gotten better though. She had grown used to constantly acting like the adorable, peppy little sister she was expected to be. And, for the first time in years, she almost felt as cheerful as she regularly pretended to be. This was, of course, largely due to Nicole's release from the Northern Fortress.

While Elise was happy for her sister, she also felt particularly cheerful because of the entertaining trip back to the capital. Nicole had been so interested in all of the flowers they came across, and Elise had been happy to go into great detail about each and every one. It had been nice, showing the true depth of her knowledge about _something,_ not having to hold back to keep up the facade of their cheerful little sister. The flowers, which she had learned about from her old nursemaid Cassita, had been a nice release for her. And of course, there was Leo's reaction to these discussions. While Nicole had been oblivious to Leo's ire, Elise had taken great pleasure in dragging the discussions out for as long as possible to annoy him.

But as quickly as this newfound cheer came, it was replaced by ice cold fear. Elise was scared- no,terrified- for her sister. Their father's test had been a complete disaster. Nicole and Xander came to blows, and it had ended with Nicole facing an unknown fate at their father's mercy. While she feigned ignorance, she knew full well what happened to people who displeased her father.

Several days had passed since then. Camilla started to show Nicole around both the palace and the secret passages while Xander and Leo slowly tried to convince Father to give Nicole another chance or, at the very least, soften her punishment. All of her siblings were doing everything in their power to help Nicole through this.

And Elise? Well, she would simply do what she had always done. She would be a beacon of cheerful light to support her siblings.

* * *

I winced, smacking my shin against something painfully.

"Oops, sorry darling," Camilla said from behind me, checking to make sure her hands still covered my eyes.

Why did I agree to this again? Oh, that's right, Camilla hadn't given me a choice in the matter. I knew I was in trouble when she barged into my room declaring that she had a surprise for me. I was doubly worried when she insisted on leading me to it with my eyes covered.

"Camilla," I finally said in exasperation, "can't you just tell me where we're going? Why the need for secrecy?"

"Well, I suppose we don't _need_ secrecy, but then it wouldn't be a surprise!" She responded. I could picture the mischievous look in her eyes and devious smile I was sure she had.

"And it needs to be a surprise because…"

"Because it's more fun that way!"

I sighed in defeat and rolled my eyes, not that she could see the eye roll. Camilla had been itching to give me a tour ever since we arrived at the capital, so I had a sneaking suspicion this had something to do with that. But what good was a tour if I couldn't see anything?

"Ta-da!" She exclaimed, finally removing her hands to reveal… a random room?

"It's lovely," I started, and it was, spacious and filled with cushy armchairs, a roaring fireplace, and a few bookshelves, "but I fail to see why you brought me here."

"This is my personal study," Camilla said proudly, fingers trailing along the spines of various books.

"Study? I don't see a desk anywhere…"

"I requested this room be turned into my personal study for reasons I am about to show you. And a room doesn't need a desk to be considered a study," she replied, turning to stride over to an elaborate tapestry on the far wall. She moved it aside to reveal a small door and beckoned me to come closer.

"Well, now I see why you wanted this room to be your personal study. Where does it lead? The kitchen? The gardens?" I said, curiosity getting the best of me.

"Nope. It leads outside of the castle," she said. I turned to her, my face a mask of shock. Now I knew what that mischievous look was for.

"Outside of Krakenburg? Does Father know about this?"

"No, and before you ask, neither do Leo and Xander. Only Elise, and now you, are aware of its existence."

"Why?" I asked feeling a bit panicked at the enormity of the secret she had just told me.

"Why what?" She asked as if she genuinely didn't know what was wrong with our brothers and Father not knowing about this.

"Why would you keep this from them. Don't you think that's a little… irresponsible. What if rebels found out? What if the Hoshidans found out? What if…"

"Nicole, calm down," Camilla said, interrupting my panicked thoughts. "The entrance is well concealed. It's almost impossible to spot unless you know it's there. I don't want to tell anyone because this is the only way in or out of Krakenburg aside from the main gate. I knew they would seal it if they found out, and I need an escape from time to time."

"Then why not just go through the main gate?"

"We're royalty, Nicole. The eyes of the court are always watching. It's enough to make a girl feel smothered, so sometimes I go on little… excursions to get away from it all for awhile," she explained.

"Where do you even go?" I asked, still unsure if the potential danger this tunnel posed was truly worth the risk.

"Do you remember when I told you that town you saw on the way to the castle wasn't the real beating heart of the capital city?" At my nod, she continued. "The real heart of it is underground, away from father's oppressive soldiers. The tunnel leads to that, but, as I said before, it would be near impossible for anyone down there to find the tunnels leading to the palace."

"But is it really worth-"

"Of course it's worth it. You may not understand now, but just wait until you see the city," she interrupted eagerly.

"Wait, we're going right now?" I asked, alarmed at the sudden foray into an underground city she was proposing.

"No time like the present," she said, reaching for the doorknob. "We should be quick, though. Father could decide on your punishment any time now." She opened the door to reveal a dark tunnel. While I was still apprehensive about following Camilla as she strode into the darkness of the tunnel, curiosity eventually won out over caution as I slowly followed her.

"Make sure to close the door behind you," Camilla said from a short distance ahead. She picked up a lantern from the ground and set about lighting it while I quietly closed the door behind me.

"Are you sure this is a good idea? What if Father sends for us while we're gone?" I asked, worry once again surfacing as we were sealed in the tomb like passage.

"It will be fine. We won't be gone long. Even if Father were to summon us, we can just say we were at the stables," she responded, attempting soothing my worries. I sighed in defeat, knowing there was no way to get out of this now.

Despite Camilla's assurances that we wouldn't be gone long, it felt like the twisting passageways went on forever. I had no idea how she even navigated them. Every few feet, it split off into more passageways, but Camilla never hesitated, always knowing which way we needed to turn to reach our destination.

"How long have you been coming down here?" I asked her eventually, awed at her ability to navigate the tunnels.

"Oh, a few years at least," she responded.

"Do you everything mapped out?"

"I wouldn't say _everything_ , but I have a fair bit of it memorized."

"Are there multiple paths to the city?" I asked, unconvinced that the numerous passages we skipped led to nothing.

"Yes, but there are only three tunnels that actually lead to city, and, as I said before, they are all extremely well hidden. However, the path we are taking won't lead us directly to the city. We are just going observe it from afar."

"I thought you said we were going to the city though," I responded, unsure if I should be relieved or disappointed we wouldn't go through the underground part of Windmire.

"We can go into the city proper some other time. For now, though, there is something I want to show you that is best demonstrated from afar."

My efforts to get her to talk after that were in vain. She simply refused to tell me what it was that she wanted to show me. We walked in silence for a few more moments before I saw a light ahead. We walked closer, the light getting brighter and brighter until we reached an overhang that jutted out over the underground city.

"Wow," was all I could say. From our position on top of the overhang, we could see the entire expanse of the city, but they couldn't see us.

It was beautiful. The torches and lanterns used to light up the dark cavern culminated in a dazzling display from afar. And the colors- there were so many of them! Unlike the castle, which was almost exclusively decorated in black and dark purple hues, the underground city was decorated in almost every color imaginable. There were banners and store awnings in such bright shades they almost hurt my eyes. I was also shocked by the number of people. While Windmire had been practically empty when we rode through, the underground city was bursting with life. There were little kids playing in the street, families shopping at different stalls lining the streets, and elderly couples sitting together on benches scattered around the city.

"How is all of this possible? How does Father not notice this?" I asked, shocked that something this big had escaped his notice.

"He doesn't pay attention," Camilla said, something slightly bitter entering her tone. "He didn't notice when his oppressive rule started to affect the people above ground, and he didn't notice when they decided to take their business underground. There are some nobles that are oblivious about this place too, and the ones who do know about it are content with it remaining a secret. And before you ask, Xander and Leo know about the underground city, they just don't know about the tunnel system connecting it to the palace."

I continued staring, in awe of the beautiful secret Camilla had entrusted me with. However, there was one dark thought that stubbornly persisted in the back of my head.

"Camilla," I began hesitantly, "why now? I appreciate you showing this to me. I understand why you like to come here. But why did you insist on showing me this so soon? Why not wait?"

"Nicole…" she began, pausing a moment to collect her thoughts. "When you didn't kill the Hoshidans during Father's test, you did so because it went against your morals. It was an admirable thing to do, don't get me wrong, but you have to realize you won't be able to spare every enemy you come across. Not if you want to win. You can give up and surrender, that's always an option, but one that could make you lose everything." She paused again, turning to face me and staring directly into my eyes. "I brought you here to show you what you have to lose. As princesses of Nohr, it is our duty to defend this, our freedom, our people, all of it. And, next time you are on the battlefield, I want you to remember this city, weigh it against your morals, and determine which is more important to you. You can't always honor both, and I suppose I wanted to give you something to fight for other than a dreary castle and a ghost town."

I stared at Camilla in shock. I had suspected she had an ulterior motive for bringing me here… but this? I had never expected this. Usually Xander was the one to reprimand me for my naïveté, remind me that, as a princess, I had a duty to our kingdom. Camilla was usually the one to encourage it, wanting to preserve my innocence for as long as possible.

"Th-thank you," I whispered, not entirely sure I meant it. She nodded in acknowledgement and turned back to face the city. We stood there in companionable silence for a few minutes, each absorbed in our own thoughts.

I understood what Camilla was trying to tell me, but… I still wasn't sure I was ready to accept it. How could I accept that there wasn't a way to honor both my morals and my duty? How could I accept having to choose one over the other? The simple answer was that I couldn't. I would just have to always find some option that allowed me to do both, even if I had to make one myself. Camilla's goal in bringing me here was to dissuade me from trying to always do both, but I feared she had only furthered my resolve.

We started the long trek back to palace after a few more moments had passed, both of us worrying someone had discovered our absence. Along the way, I tried to memorize the path Camilla led us down, but I failed almost immediately. There were just to many accursed turns to keep track of them all.

We arrived back at Camilla's study in the nick of time. Just as we were exiting the tunnels, there came a knock at the door, the non-secret one. Camilla quickly jumped away and let the tapestry fall into place before the door opened to admit a maid.

"Pardon me, miladies, but King Garon has requested the presence of all the royal children in the throne room," she said respectfully, head bowed and eyes on the ground.

"Thank you, you are dismissed," Camilla said, much more put together than I was at the moment. As soon as the maid left, she turned to me and said, "Nicole… I hope you'll think about what I said. I hope…. I hope you figure out what you're willing to fight for."

"I will, Camilla," I said, giving her a soft smile. My smile soon transformed into a smirk as I said, "And don't worry, I won't tell Xander and Leo about your secret tunnels."

* * *

Once again, we were back in the throne room of Castle Krakenburg standing in uncomfortable silence and waiting for Father to speak. If possible, the mood was even more somber now, which did absolutely nothing to calm my nerves.

"Nicole," Father began, "you disobeyed a direct order from me. Ordinarily, you would have been executed immediately for such disrespect."

"Father-," Xander began to interject.

"Silence, boy. Now, as I was saying, normally the sentence for insubordination is death. However, as my child, I will grant you some leniency," Father continued. All of us perked up, hopeful at his declaration that I would be granted some leeway in my punishment. "My decision is this: a second test. You disobeyed my orders and, in doing so, failed the test I originally administered. To rectify the situation, pass my second test, prove you can be an instrument in Nohr's service, and you will be welcomed back with open arms."

"Thank you, Father. I swear I will not fail you twice," I vowed, heart soaring at the thought of putting this whole incident behind me so easily. However, as I turned to look at my siblings, all I saw were expressions of worry and suspicion on their faces.

"See that you don't. I will not tolerate being disappointed again," he said in a darker tone. "My second test is more… practical than your first one. Instead of battling with prisoners, I want you to survey an abandoned fort at the border between Nohr and Hoshido. Merely establish the fort's condition and return, no battle will be required."

I was being given another chance? And I wouldn't have to kill anyone? It was almost too good to be true. I was half sure I was dreaming, not even in my wildest hopes had I thought Father would be this merciful. Once again, though, I was confused by the looks on my sibling's faces. Instead of happiness, their expressions showed alarm. Was it really that hard for them to believe Father could be merciful?

"I expect this to be done with the utmost haste. I do not want a repeat of your journey to the capital," he continued, much to my chagrin.

"But Father, will Nicole be alright that close to the border?" Elise questioned, worry clouding her purple eyes.

"Yes, I'm concerned about that as well," Camilla interjected.

"If she is unfit to travel within our borders to complete a mission that requires no battle, then I do not see what purpose it serves for her to be outside the fortress," Father threatened.

"I'll be fine. I think I can handle a trip to survey an abandoned fort," I said quickly, trying to erase any doubts about releasing me from the fortress.

"Father, I request permission to accompany Nicole on her mission," Camilla declared, ignoring my assurances that I would be fine.

"Did you not hear me when I said this was to be a test for Nicole? I cannot allow you to interfere, not if I want a clear indication of her abilities. Your aid would simply muddy the results."

"But-"

"Enough! I forbid you from accompanying Nicole on her mission, all of you," he finished with a sweeping glare directed at all of us. "However, while I refuse to send any of you with Nicole, I agree it would be foolish to send a Nohrian princess so close to the border with no aid. That is why I am allowing your retainers as well as a soldier of my choosing to accompany you." My siblings calmed a little after Father's declaration that I would have protection, but Camilla looked like she still wished to argue with Father. I attributed it to her overprotective nature and decided to ignore the alarms sounding in my head.

"Who are you sending with her?" Xander asked, probably hoping a soldier he knows would accompany me.

"I'm am sending Hans with her." From the dark look that flashed across Xander's face, I could tell this was not welcome news. I made a mental note to ask him about Hans later.

"Father," Camilla tried one last time, "I'm still not sure-"

"Enough, I have given you my verdict and it is final. Nicole, gather the supplies you will need and set out immediately. Now, I must attend a war council with the generals. Xander, Leo, Camilla, I expect to see you there," he said, ending the conversation despite the sounds of protest from everyone except Xander.

I was startled, first because of his declaration that I was to leave immediately, then by his abrupt ending to the conversation. He certainly wasn't one to waste time on idle conversation.

Father exited the room. Camilla and Leo followed behind him, giving me hugs and farewells on their way out.

"Be careful, little princess. That man that Father mentioned, he's a dangerous criminal. Years ago, I arrested him for all manner of despicable crimes. Father thinks he's rehabilitated, but… keep your eye on him. Don't trust him," Xander advised, making me question Father's choice in bodyguards.

"But if there's even a chance of him turning traitor, why would Father send him along with me?" I wondered. Xander gave me a conflicted look, like he wanted to tell me something, but thought better of it.

"Just… be careful," he advised me one last time before turning and following Father out of the throne room.

"Well big sis, ready to pack for your trip!" Elise said in her usual peppy manner. But… something about her smile seemed a bit forced. I attributed it to worry over Xander's distrust of my bodyguard.

I nodded, hoping Father was right and this wouldn't be the last time I saw my siblings.

* * *

"Are you sure you have all you need, Milady?" Lilith asked for the fourth time, concern for her dearest friend bringing out her protective instincts with a vengeance.

"For the last time Lilith, I'll be fine. I have three capable soldiers with me, two of which I've known my entire life," Nicole said, giving Lilith a reassuring smile.

"It's not the two we've known for years that I'm worried about," Lilith responded, frowning as she thought of the man that would be accompanying Nicole. He was a hulking brute with a cruel disposition, not the sort fit to protect a princess, especially one as optimistic and naive as Lady Nicole.

While Lilith cared deeply for her longtime friend, she still worried about her ability to judge the character of others. Lilith wanted to make sure Nicole kept an eye on Hans and wasn't fooled by any pretty words of his.

"Father trusts Hans, so he must have some redeeming qualities. Father would never knowingly send me on a mission with a traitor in our midsts," Nicole said in response to Lilith's skepticism, her absolute faith in her family shining in her eyes despite all he had done to her. Lilith had to bite her tongue to stop herself from revealing how much that truly was.

"You said he would never _knowingly_ send a traitor with you. What if Hans fooled him into thinking he was rehabilitated." The idea of King Garon being fooled by anyone was preposterous to Lilith, but she had to find some way to convince Nicole.

"Lilith, if I give you my word I will trust no one other that Jakob and Gunter, will you stop worrying so much? It'll be just like that time that I went out with Silas. You were so worried about what would happen to us if we went outside the fortress against Father's orders," Nicole teased, somehow lighthearted despite the gravity of the situation.

"And I was right to be! King Garon was furious! If it hadn't been for your intervention, Silas would have lost his head. As it was, he was banished from the fortress," Lilith said harshly, immediately regretting her words as the princess's face fell. It hadn't been entirely her fault, Lilith grudgingly admitted to herself. They were both kids who hadn't realized the danger in disobeying the king. When Silas was sent away, Nicole was beside herself with grief over losing her closest childhood playmate. There had been talk amongst her retainers about trying to make her forget, but, after everything else they had taken from her, they decided to leave it be.

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I just… I want you to remember what happens when you disobey the king. His punishments are never merciful, not like this. I don't want to see you get hurt, not like that time with Silas."

"I understand Lilith. I just hate to see you worry so much. You're the closest thing I have to a sister that's not related by blood, and I want you to be happy," Nicole said, concern shining in her eyes. Lilith winced, using all of her willpower to not react further to Nicole's words.

"If you want me to stop worrying, then you'd better return quickly," Lilith responded with a strained smile, trying to alleviate the tension in the room with some light humor.

"Quicker than Felicia can break a plate," Nicole responded, mirth shining in her eyes at the reference to one of their inside jokes. Lilith sighed again, still worried despite Nicole's many reassurances that she would be fine.

"Hey, no more of that. If this is the last time I see you, I want my final memory of you to be happy," Nicole said, the small smirk on her face telling Lilith she was teasing her.

"That was a joke in very poor taste," Lilith admonished her friend.

"I know, but I am willing to do anything at this point to lighten the mood. Geez, when did you become such a worrywart? Remember all the shenanigans we pulled when we were younger?"

"Ugh, looking back I feel bad for poor Gunter. I'm surprised he didn't get frostbite that time all of us ambushed him with snowballs, especially since we had two girls from the ice tribe on our team," Lilith reminisced, fond memories of their time in the Northern Fortress finally bringing a smile to her face.

"Yeah, but do you remember all the laps we had to do around the fortress as punishment. I thought my lungs would burst before he finally let us stop," Nicole said with a small laugh. Lilith grimaced, remembering the torturous exercises he had imposed as punishment for that particular stunt. Nicole laughed louder at Lilith's expression.

"Pardon me, Milady, but it is time to depart," Gunter said from the doorway to the stables, the scowl on his face indicating he had heard their previous topic of conversation.

"I'll be right there, Gunter," Nicole responded, trying and failing to keep a small smile of her face.

Gunter huffed in annoyance and left the room. Nicole and Lilith looked at each other, their previous mirth falling away as they realized this could be the last time they saw each other again.

"Goodbye, Lilith," Nicole said, stepping forward to hug her friend.

"I'll see you soon Lady Nicole," Lilith responded, unwilling to tell her closest friend goodbye. It felt too final to her.

"Yes you will. I'll be back before you can even miss me," Nicole assured Lilith, giving her one last small smile before exiting the stables and beginning on her journey.

Lilith stood in silence for a few moments, wondering what she should do. Should she stay at the castle and wait for her friends return? Or should she follow and risk the king's wrath? Lilith thought of their time together, the memories they shared. She thought of Gunter's face when that first snowball hit him. She thought of Nicole's glee at organizing their attack on the poor retainer.

Lilith grabbed the rucksack she had brought from the Northern Fortress and began packing her bag.

* * *

Kaze sat in uncomfortable silence with Rinkah, wondering what he would tell Prince Ryoma when he arrived to hear a report of his capture. He wanted to be honest, tell his liege what he had discovered during his time in Nohr, but what if he was wrong? What if this was a Nohrian trick?

"I know what you're pouting about over there," Rinkah said, finally breaking the silence.

"I am a ninja, I do not pout," Kaze responded, still glaring intently at the wall.

"Fine, I know what you're _brooding_ about. It's that Nohrian princess, isn't it?"

"Yes," Kaze said with a sigh, finally glancing at Rinkah. "I just can't stop thinking, what if it really is her? Should I keep this from Lord Ryoma?"

"You don't actually believe that was her, right Kaze? I mean, I know you can be aloof at times, but I didn't take you for a fool, though I suppose they are anagrams for one another," she said, raising her eyebrows at the ninja.

"You heard her name, and you saw her face. She looks just like the Queen, if Lady Mikoto had purple hair and red eyes, just like Lady Nicole when she was younger."

"A Nohrian lie supported by Nohrian magic. You know how realistic their illusions are. Face it Kaze, Princess Nicole is dead. She was killed alongside the late King Sumeragi. To think otherwise… it's just going to torment you."

"But her body was never recovered, and you've heard the reports of our spies. For years, they reported rumors of her being taken as a hostage."

"And our efforts to recover her? What did they accomplish? We may have captured that other Nohrian princess that King Garon didn't care about, but there was no sign of Lady Nicole. This was just another one of their tricks, Kaze. To tell the royals, to give them hope, and have it turn out that she is just another Nohrian pawn wearing their sister's face… you can't do that to them, Kaze. It would be too cruel."

"Is it so impossible to believe King Garon would stoop to this level, capturing a Hoshidan princess, raising her as a Nohrian royal to turn her against her people. It's heartless, it's despicable, and it is exactly the sort of thing I would expect from Nohr's king."

"Okay, I'll humor you for a moment. Say that Nohrian princess that spared us really is Lady Nicole, what do you expect us to do about it? Storm Castle Krakenburg and liberate the imprisoned princess? A two person army toppling Nohr?" Rinkah said with sarcasm in her voice and a skeptical look on her face.

"No, but if we were to tell the royal family, maybe they could do something. Lady Mikoto stopped sending spies into Nohr when she concluded Lady Nicole was not being held in Krakenburg. There were so many strongholds that we couldn't breach, she knew we would never be able to find her daughter if she wasn't in the castle. But now that she's there, maybe…"

"Maybe she'll be so overcome with joy at being kidnapped by the people she believes to be her enemy she'll accept the truth with open arms?" Rinkah spat back, unable to see a way to save the girl even if she was the missing princess. "Come on Kaze, even if we get her back here, there's no telling what sort of lies the Nohrian have filled her head with."

"Yes, but if it is her, don't we have to try? Even if she wasn't Lady Mikoto's daughter, even if it wasn't the dearest wish of our masters that she return, we still owe her our lives."

"Owe her our lives? She besmirched my honor!" Rinkah roared in outrage.

"She spared you. She could have stood by and watched the king kill you or even ended your life herself. We were all unarmed and at her mercy, but she refused to kill us. Spitting on her act of mercy is dishonorable, especially considering the price she has likely paid for it," Kaze said, trying to reason with the fiery flame tribe princess. It seemed to work. Rinkah deflated a little, seemingly taking his words to heart.

"How? How could we even begin to rescue her, especially when she doesn't want to be rescued?" Rinkah said, slowly coming around to Kaze's plan.

"We'll need help," Kaze responded, already thinking of how they could kidnap the Nohrian princess.

"We're not bringing the royal family int-"

"We won't have to. The retainers of the royal family should be willing to help, and they don't have the same personal stake in it. If it's just a trick, they will be dissapointed, but they won't be devastated like the royals will. We can ask Yukimura for help as well. Hopefully, he'll come up with a plan to help capture her."

"I'm still not entirely sure that Nohrian princess is truly the lost Lady Nicole," Rinkah said, voicing her doubts one last time, not that she thought Kaze would listen.

"When we capture her, we'll have Orochi examine her, see if she can detect any illusionary magic," Kaze said confidently. "Soon, we will find out if we have uncovered a Nohrian trick or a lost princess of Hoshido."

* * *

"I know what you're going to say, and my answer is no," Xander said, cutting off Camilla before she could voice her request.

"You don't know what I was going to say," Camilla shot back, miffed that he assumed to know what she was about to ask of him.

"You were going to say something about Nicole's mission. Most likely demand that we go after her," he stated without looking up from the paperwork in front of him.

"Let's go then!" Camilla said, refusing to acknowledge that Xander had been right in his assumption.

"Apparently you ignored the part where I told you no."

"Why? Xander, she could be hurt or dying or a million other things could have gone wrong! We have to go after her. We have to make sure she's alright," Camilla exclaimed heatedly, ready to resort to begging if necessary.

"Father forbid us from going. There is nothing we can do Camilla," Xander said, making Camilla livid at his seeming disregard of Nicole's safety.

"He said we were forbidden from _accompanying_ her, so if we were to just meet her there or perhaps send our retainers," Camilla quickly interjected, trying to find alternative ways to help Nicole since she knew Xander would never directly go against Father's orders.

"If we help Nicole, Father will find out, and even if we merely indirectly go against his orders, our retainers, us, and possibly even Nicole will be severely punished. Besides, Father said no battle will be required. Nicole will be fine."

"Do you really believe that?" Camilla said, immediately regretting the words. She knew she had just entered dangerous grounds with them.

"Camilla… Father has been under a lot of pressure lately, and he may come across as… unpleasant, but he still cares for his family. He would never allow anything to happen to Nicole, and he would never purposefully send her into a battle unprepared," Xander said, but it seemed to Camilla he was trying to convince himself as well as her.

"You know Father never accepted Nicole into the family, not as we have," Camilla retorted, despite knowing he was unlikely to accept it.

"Camilla," Xander said sharply, his patience with her finally wearing thin, "he is our king and our Father. While there have been times we have disagreed with him, we still owe him our trust. He will not do anything to endanger Nicole, and if he says she will be safe with her current companions, I believe she will be safe with her current companions."

"Like you and your retainers were safe on that mission six years ago?" Camilla said, hating herself for reminding him of that day. She knew it was a low blow, she knew how much it still affected Xander, but she was getting desperate at this point. She needed Xander to see the danger Nicole was in, and if she had to remind him of his dead retainers to do it, then she would just have to live with it.

Xander said nothing, deflating as he remembered the Hoshidan ambush that claimed the lives of his previous retainers. Taking his silence as encouragement, Camilla pressed on, "What if she is caught in something like that? Do you really think Hans and her retainers will be enough to protect her?"

"Father will be furious, he might take it out on her," Xander said, trying one last time to dissuade Camilla.

"And his opinion won't matter much if she's dead," she retorted, resolute in helping her sister. She could see he was considering it, indecision revealing the thoughts warring in his mind. Camilla held her breath, knowing whatever he said next would be his final decision.

"I can see I won't dissuade you and… I will admit, I am concerned with her safety as well. I shall accompany you to assist Nicole. We should inform Leo and Elise we're leaving, though," Xander said with a sigh, finally swayed by Camilla's mention of his previous retainers.

"No need, they already know," she said, striding over to the door. She opened it and Leo and Elise tumbled into the room, revealed to have been eavesdropping on the conversation.

While Leo had the good grace to look embarrassed, Elise merely said, "I hope by 'informing us you're leaving' you meant 'inviting us along' because we're coming whether you like it or not."

"Elise, I don't think-"

"Xander, Elise can be even more stubborn than me when she sets her mind to something. Do you really think you can dissuade her from this?" Camilla said, trying to hurry her siblings along so they could go after Nicole. Xander merely sighed in defeat and the four siblings quickly walked to the stables.

Just hang on Nicole, Camilla thought as she saddled her wyvern, we're on our way.


	4. A King's Quest

**A/N: Sorry it took longer than normal for me to update. I had a busy week coupled with writer's block, which is not exactly conducive to writing in a timely manner.**

 **I would like to once again thank everyone that's taken the time to review my story. I love getting feedback, and reviews help tremendously with that. I would also like to give a special thanks to Cerenda for editing this chapter for me.**

 **Okay, so I do have a bit of a warning with this chapter. I'm going to change quite a few things with the plot in this fanfic, but most of them will be for a reason. Most of the time, it will be an effect of something I do with the plot. I changed this chapter quite a bit, and my only real reasoning for doing so is because I didn't like how the game did it. Both the game developers and I have taken pains up until this point to stress that Nicole will only use violence as a last resort, but I felt in this chapter that they sort of set aside her pacifist ideals too easily. It felt like too much of a break in character. Another problem I have with it is that it is never mentioned again. No one ever brings up that she killed a bunch of Hoshidan soldiers and conquered a fort, even Saizo, who is later shown to be extremely distrustful. The way they handled this chapter just never sat well with me, so I did change it quite a bit.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem.**

* * *

The journey to the Bottomless Canyon had been significantly less entertaining than the trip to the capital. Perhaps it was the fact that the landscape became even bleaker the closer we got to the canyon, but I had a hunch it was my current companions ruining the mood.

While the trip to the capital had consisted of meeting exciting new people and talking with Elise about flowers, this trip was almost entirely silent. Hans, a bald, intimidating looking berserker, had introduced himself and barely said more than five words to me since then. My retainers were just as talkative as he was, their energies spent either surveying the road or watching Hans like a hawk. I was honestly getting a bit lonely. I wished Father had allowed my siblings to accompany me for no reason other than to help ward off this suffocating silence that dominated our little group.

I was also getting worried about the amount of time we were taking. We had spent almost a week on the road so far. However, in the back of my mind, I couldn't help but remember Father demanding this task being done in a timely manner.

"Gunter," I began, worry finally driving me to break the uncomfortable silence, "It feels like we are taking longer than we should. Would it be wiser to speed up?"

"Fear not, Milady. A week is about how long it normally takes to travel to the Bottomless Canyon from Krakenburg. We are making good time," he responded, soothing my worries.

"How far are we from the canyon now?"

"Once we reach Fort Richelle, it is about an hour's ride from there. And before you ask, we are about ten minutes away from the fort."

"Will we be stopping there?"

"No, we will merely be going around. We have all the supplies we need and, as it is midday, we have no need to stop for the night. After we survey the Hoshidan fort, we shall return to Fort Richelle and send a report."

"If there's a fort this close to the border, why did Father make come out here to survey the Hoshidan fort? Wouldn't they likely know the condition of the Hoshidan fort anyways?"

"Bear in mind, King Garon sent you out here as a punishment. Also, the fort was reported as abandoned. The soldiers of Fort Richelle are unlikely to have surveyed it since the king would not have seen a reason to issue the order before now."

"I suppose that makes sense," I said, but in truth, I was worried. Surely there was something similar to this that would have been more efficient. It seemed like a waste of resources to me, but I supposed I would never be able to comprehend Father's reasoning for this mission.

True to Gunter's word, a few minutes after our conversation Fort Richelle came into view. I was impressed by the size of the fort. While it was still smaller than Castle Krakenburg, it was easily double the size of the Northern Fortress, though I supposed it had to be, given it's proximity to the border. Like most of the buildings I'd seen in Nohr, the Fortress consisted of somber colors and a minimal amount of decorations. The red banners flowing from various towers did little to lighten the dark grey stones the fort was constructed from because of the dark color they were dyed. If anything, the color only added to the bone-chilling atmosphere of the fortress. Whoever had decided to decorate a border fort in blood red banners was not well versed in diplomacy.

Even though I knew we were only delaying it for a few hours, I was relieved that we would not have to enter Fort Richelle quite yet. Instead of heading down the path that would lead us to the main gates, we veered down a side path, a salute in the distance our only acknowledgement from the soldiers stationed in the fort.

"Would you prefer to stop, Milady?" Jakob asked, noticing my continual stare towards the fort.

"No," I quickly said, still apprehensive about entering the fort. "I'm just thinking about the soldiers training in the fort. You can hear them from all the way out here."

"Yes, Nohr's soldiers are known to be some of the most dedicated on the continent," Hans boasted. Ah, he does speak! "Our soldiers are peerless fighters, many trained since they were old enough to hold a sword."

"Yes, but as strong as our fighters are, it is important to remember we have fearsome neighbors as well. Hoshidans are known for their unparalleled agility. Best not to forget that, lest it comes back to haunt you on the battlefield," Gunter chimed in from the rear. Hans' arrogant smile melted back into his customary scowl and he once against lapsed into sullen silence.

Ignoring our grouchy traveling companion, Jakob, Gunter, and I continued our discussion on Hoshidan tactics. Mostly, Gunter just questioned us on basic maneuvers and tactics effective against the fighting styles of Hoshidan soldiers. We continued our discussion for the next hour, only ceasing once we heard the distant sound of thunder in the distance.

"A storm? That doesn't bode well. Shall we head back to Fort Richelle or continue one?" I asked Gunter.

"That is no storm, Milady. Though it never rains here, lightning flashes almost constantly. If we wish to survey the fort, there will be no avoiding it."

I sighed, knowing we had to continue on. Though, in truth, I was about as excited to see a place known as the "Bottomless Canyon" as I was to enter Fort Richelle.

We soon crested a hill, and I got my first glimpse of the Bottomless Canyon. It truly was as frightening as it's title implied. The dark, cloudy sky cast strange shadows across the wide valley stretched out before us. The vegetation in the area was scarce, consisting of a few brown patches of grass and scraggly, half dead trees. Every few moments, lightning would illuminate the muddy fields, and rumbles of the accompanying thunder would shake the ground beneath us. And right in the center of it all was the feature that gave this place its namesake, the Bottomless Canyon. It was massive, stretching through the middle of the valley and continuing far beyond my line of sight, a great black void trailing down into eternity.

"It can't really be bottomless, right?" I asked Gunter, unable to tear my eyes away from the canyon.

"Well, no one has ever lived to say otherwise, so the legend remains."

I gulped, still staring apprehensively at the black abyss in the distance. It was then that I noticed a building just beyond the canyon. The grey tiles the roof consisted of allowed it blend in with the bleak landscape around it, but upon closer inspection, I could see specks of white and red on the fort's sides, the only bright color in the otherwise desolate area.

"So, this is the fort we were sent to evaluate?" I mused aloud.

"Yes, this is Fort Shimoga, a Hoshidan stronghold just outside Nohrian borders," Gunter said.

We rode closer, but as we neared the fort, we began to detect signs of life from within. A flash of movement from the ramparts and a flicker of a torch from a window serving as our warning that the fort was not as abandoned as we were led to believe.

"Gunter, is it possible Father sent soldiers from Fort Richelle ahead of us?" I asked, warily watching the distant fortress.

"I suppose it's possible, but it is unlikely. This was meant to be a test and a punishment. He would not have sent aid," Gunter responded, his face set with worry and the frown lines on his forehead more pronounced than normal.

His words were proven correct as we drew nearer when an arrow dug into the dirt a few feet from our horses. The archer that fired it was standing in the middle of the long bridge we were crossing, face set in a scowl and hands knocking another arrow.

"Turn back, Nohrians. Crossing this bridge is a violation of our border treaty," he said in a threatening manner, brandishing the bow once again.

"My apologies, we thought this fort was abandoned," I responded in a placating tone, lest he decide to fire.

"Why would we abandon a valuable fortress this close to the border? And who would be so daft as to believe this fort is unoccupied?" He questioned, clearly not believing our story.

"We received bad intel-," I attempted to explain.

"A likely story," he responded, sarcasm and skepticism permeating his tone.

"What should we do, Milady?" Jakob asked in a softer tone so the Hoshidan archer couldn't hear him.

"Well, we know the fort's condition. I say we should retreat," I told him softly. Jakob and Gunter nodded in agreement and I spoke up in a louder tone. "We are leaving these lands. We have no desire to trespass."

"Suit yourself princess, but I came to have some fun," Hans said, a bloodthirsty grin on his face as he unsheathed his weapon.

"Hans! What are you doing?"

Before I could say anything else, he charged the Hoshidan soldier, dodging the arrow and ramming into him at full speed.

"Jakob!" I cried, hoping he could incapacitate Hans before he killed the archer.

He fumbled with his dagger and started to take aim, but something told me he would be too late. I sprinted towards the two men, tackling Hans to the ground just as he raised his axe for the finishing blow.

"What are you doing?" Hans yelled, shoving me off of him. He made another move towards the archer who was desperately trying to scramble away from the terrifying berserker. I quickly stood and ran into him again.

"I ordered you to retreat," I roared, trying to wrestle the axe out of his hand. Gunter finally caught up to us and held his lance to Hans' throat. I glanced up and saw that, to my relief, the archer had almost made it safety to the other side of the bridge. However, my relief was replaced by fear when several other soldiers replaced him.

"Milady, it appears as if they mean to attack. We might have no choice but to fight them," Jakob assessed, but I couldn't accept it. I had resolved before leaving to always balance duty and morals, and I wouldn't give up on that so easily.

"No, we can still retreat. They are unlikely to chase us far into Nohrian territory. Gunter, you lead with Hans, make sure to keep your lance as well as your eyes on him. We'll deal with him and his treachery once we are away from here. Jakob and I will cover the rear," I ordered. They looked like they still wished to argue, but they must have noticed the steely look in my eyes and the resolute tone of my voice, for they immediately set off instead of arguing tactics.

We ran, hearing the distant sound of footsteps slowly gaining on us, but I was still optimistic. The bridge was large, and they were far behind us. We only had to outrun them for a few minutes, just long enough to reach the other side of the bridge. Once we got to the end, they would probably retreat, wary of following when we could so easily cut the ropes holding it up. We had just a few more feet to go when Hans made his move.

So close to our goal, Gunter's attention had wandered. Hans noticed this and rammed against his horse, throwing Gunter from its back. The horse, already frightened from the distant thunder, bolted as soon as Gunter fell, its loyalty lost to its fear. Jakob reached the two men first and tried attacking Hans at close range with his knife. This proved ineffective, though, when Hans sent Jakob sprawling and the knife clattering out of his grip. I charged in next, but Hans had been preparing for my strike. He grabbed my arm as I pulled it back to swing and threw me into Jakob, who was attempting to stand again. While we disentangled ourselves from each other, Hans picked up the knife off the ground and started advancing on us, a murderous gleam in his eyes. Just as he raised his arm to strike, Gunter appeared at his side and grabbed his hand, stopping Hans from plunging the dagger down into my stomach. The two men began to wrestle for control of Jakob's knife. I looked around for a weapon, for my own sword had fallen over the edge of the bridge when Hans shoved me. Gunter's lance lay on the ground a few feet away, discarded in his haste to reach Hans before he killed me. I reached for it while the two older men grappled dangerously close to the flimsy rope railing of the bridge. My fingers curled around it just as I heard an agonized gasp from behind me. I froze, slowly turning to see Gunter, knife embedded in his side and leaning dangerously over the railing.

"Oops, did I kill the royal babysitter?" Hans taunted with a sick smirk on his face. He placed his hand on Gunter's shoulder and, with a small shove, sent him tumbling into the Bottomless Canyon.

"GUNTER!" I screamed. I heard a roaring in my ears and felt a burning rage throughout my body. Almost unconsciously, I hefted the lance and awkwardly swung it at Hans. He easily caught it, pulling me towards the edge of the bridge and preparing to send me tumbling after Gunter. Jakob appeared then, revealing another hidden knife and slashing Hans' stomach.

Hans gave a startled gasp and stared at the blood now covering his fingers. He glanced at Jakob and I, seemingly unable to comprehend that he would have to retreat from this fight.

"This isn't over," he spat, running away from Jakob and towards one of the larger groves of blackened trees in the valley, probably hoping to avoid pursuit.

"Oh no you don't. You will answer for Gunter's murder and the attempted assassination of Lady Nicole," Jakob said, a fury in his eyes I had never seen before. He ran after Hans at full speed, intent on catching him before the trees completely covered his escape.

I stood from where Hans had thrown me, casting one last look to where Gunter had fallen before preparing to follow Jakob. I had just taken my first step when I felt something bite into the back of my leg. I turned to see a ninja's throwing star embedded into my calf and looked up to realize that, during our battle, the Hoshidans had caught up to us. Leading the charge was a red haired ninja wearing a mask that covered half his face. He readied another throwing star as I turned, ripping out the first one he threw, and began trying to beat them to the end of the bridge. However, with my injured leg, they easily caught up to me.

"Under the authority of High Prince Ryoma, I am arresting you for trespassing on Hoshidans lands. You will answer for your crimes in front of the royal family themselves," the leading ninja said, fury in his one good eye. He lifted his arm, preparing to throw another shuriken.

"I won't allow it!"

* * *

On a distant hill, Nicole's siblings watched her enter the valley, worry the predominant emotion in all of them as they watched their sister draw nearer to the fortress.

They had arrived a few minutes after Nicole, attempting to consistently stay a ways behind her so their travels could not be labeled as _accompanying._ They had sped up within the past hour, hoping to catch her before she reached the canyon, but they had only just begun climbing the hill Nicole had ridden through earlier as she made her way to the bridge. Xander halted at the hill's crest, ready to go to his sister's aid in a moment's notice, but advancing no further.

"Aren't we going to follow her into the valley?" Camilla asked, a worried look on her face as she glanced at Nicole's party in the distance.

"Not if we can help it," Xander replied.

"What do you mean? I thought that was the whole point of this trip," Elise said, fidgeting with her staff.

"The point is to aid Nicole _if she needs it._ If this truly is an abandoned fort, we need not interfere with Father's test. This spares all of us, including Nicole, from Father's wrath if he were to find out about our little excursion," Xander explained. Elise gave a huff of annoyance while Camilla shot a dark glare at the canyon, both of them grudgingly accepting his judgement.

They stood in silence for a few moments, watching their sister intently as she reached the bridge. Suddenly, Elise gave a gasp. "Xander, look! There's torchlight in the window! There's someone in the fort!" Elise said in a panicked tone, afraid of what this would mean for Nicole.

"Is it possible Father sent soldiers from Fort Richelle ahead?" Leo questioned, though his grim expression showed that he already knew the answer that.

"No, Father meant this as a test. If he would not let us accompany Nicole, there is very little chance he sent aid ahead," Xander responded, grimacing as he wondered at the implications of the Hoshidan soldiers presence.

"So, the fortress was not as abandoned as Father led us to believe," Leo mused, a pained look on his face as he thought of their Father's deception.

"He couldn't have known. There might have been an error in the report or false information from our spies," Xander protested despite the inner turmoil this revelation presented him. He wanted to deny Leo's accusation, deny that their Father had committed any wrongdoing, but a part of him, a part buried so deeply he was never forced to acknowledge it, wasn't even surprised that the fort was occupied.

"Regardless of whose fault this is, we have to get to Nicole. Let's go," Camilla said, a furious look on her face as she prepared to take to the skies.

"Wait!" Leo exclaimed, placing a hand on Camilla's shoulder. "The Hoshidans have many archers in their ranks; it would be unwise for a wyvern rider, even one as powerful as you, to go charging off into battle alone. Besides, I would prefer to avoid intervening if at all possible."

"So you're willing to sit here and watch Nicole face the Hoshidans alone!" Camilla retorted furiously.

"Yes, that would be preferential to aiding her. It is as Xander said earlier, we must avoid Father's wrath if at all possible. Besides, she will have to face them eventually, Camilla. We were able to sneak away to help her this time, but what about the next mission he sends her on? Or the one after that? She has to learn to stand on her own two feet. We can be here, ready to catch her, for her first time, but we must try to let her do this on her own," Leo reasoned.

"Xander! You can't agree with this," Camilla pleaded, appealing to her older brother for support.

"I'm sorry Camilla, but I agree with Leo. If we can allow Nicole to do this on her own, we should stand back," Xander said, despite the fact that all of his brotherly instincts were screaming at him to protect his little sister.

"Elise?" Camilla said, searching her sister's face. Elise merely hung her head, refusing to look Camilla in the eye. Elise's silent agreement with her brothers finally broke Camilla as her protests ceased.

The Nohrian siblings watched their sister with worry. A Hoshidan archer had emerged from the fort to confront Nicole, and from the furious look in the archer's eyes, the discussion did not seem to be going well. They saw their sister shout something to the archer and begin turning around. Each of them watched with bated breath, terrified an arrow would sink into her now exposed back. However, they need not have worried, for Hans began attacking the Hoshidan. Elise gave a small gasp as he rammed into the soldier, preparing to finish him. The rest of them sucked in a breath as Nicole attacked Hans.

"What is she doing?" Leo exclaimed, a shocked look on his face as Nicole attacked a fellow Nohrian soldier.

"She's following her morals," Camilla answered, a sad smile on her face. Xander was just about to ask what she meant when he saw reinforcements appearing at the Hoshidan end of the bridge.

"We need to move," Xander declared.

"Finally! I'll meet you over there," Camilla said, readying her wyvern to take off.

"Wait," Leo said, once again stopping Camilla from going to Nicole.

"Leo dear, I love you to pieces, but if you don't stop preventing me from aiding my sister, I'm going to be awfully upset."

"Look at their reinforcements Camilla. They have samurai's, ninja, and _archers_. Even an experienced wyvern rider such as yourself would be subdued by the presence of so many bow wielders, and you're no use to Nicole dead," Leo explained.

"Fine, I'll fly alongside you, but we have to hurry."

The siblings took off at full speed, terrified at what would happen if they were too late. They were forced to watch at a distance as Hans attacked Nicole, Gunter, and Jakob. They heard Nicole shouting her elderly retainer's name as he was pushed into the canyon. They saw the Hoshidans closing in on their sister and spurred their horses still faster.

"Under the authority of High Prince Ryoma, I am arresting you for trespassing on Hoshidans lands. You will answer for your crimes in front of the royal family themselves," Xander heard their leader say, feeling terror flood his veins at the thought of Nicole appearing before the Hoshidan royal family. The consequences of her coming face to face with them…

"I won't allow it!" He roared, blocking the ninja's strike and standing protectively between Nicole and the Hoshidan soldiers.

The ninja retreated a few steps, halting in a defensive crouch at the sight of reinforcements. His men readied their weapons, preparing for one of the Nohrian siblings to strike.

"Nicole! Are you alright?" Camilla said, landing her wyvern to check Nicole for injuries. A murderous expression came over her face as she noticed the injury to Nicole's leg. "Elise, take care of Nicole while I deal with these trespassers."

"Trespassers! You Nohrians are the ones in violation of our border treaty! That woman attempted to cross into Hoshidan lands with the intent to attack our troops," the red haired ninja said in a furious tone.

"From what I saw, she never stepped off the bridge. And what's more, we are on the Nohrian side of the canyon now, so, in actuality, _you_ are the one's trespassing," Camilla said in sweet voice, bloodthirsty smile still on her face.

"Camilla, I'm fine. Let us leave now," Nicole pleaded, trying to diffuse the situation.

"Darling… why don't you go find Jakob?" Camilla responded, knowing this would end in a fight and trying to spare Nicole the sight of it.

"Xander?" Nicole asked, knowing that, as the eldest, he could stop this. Xander looked into her eyes, wincing slightly at the pleading expression in them. He had always struggled with refusing his younger siblings when they looked at him like this.

"I'm sorry, but you need to find Jakob. With your injuries, you won't be able to fight in this battle. Find Jakob and have him heal you. We will meet you at Fort Richelle when we are done here."

"Xander…" Nicole trailed off, a forlorn expression on her face as she retreated in the direction Jakob had gone in. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as she left the soon to be battlefield, happy that their peace loving sister wouldn't be forced to bear witness to the following events.

"For the royal family of Hoshido, I swear I will bring you to justice," the ninja threatened, drawing yet another shuriken.

"For Nohr," Xander whispered, drawing Siegfried and charging into battle.

* * *

Kaze waited from a grove of trees, barely concealed as he watched Nicole and her companions move closer to Fort Shimoga. He had Rinkah by his side and a small group of Hoshidan soldiers behind him.

"I can't believe we came all this way just to have her waltz up to the border," Rinkah complained.

"The soldiers in the fort are unlikely to recognize her. They might kill her if we don't intervene," Kaze reminded her, wondering if they should reveal themselves or wait to see how the following events play out.

Kaze and Rinkah had once again traveled to the border to enact the plan Yukimura had devised. The two would enter Nohr with a group of soldiers, spy on Castle Krakenburg, and find an opening to capture the Nohrian princess. Simple, but something the enemy was unlikely to predict seeing as how Hoshido had long ago stopped sending spies to find the missing Hoshidan princess. It was essential Kaze and Rinkah go on this mission as they were the only ones that knew what she looked like. The latter of the two voiced numerous complaints about returning to the place they had just escaped from, but Kaze finally convinced her with a firm reminder of the debt they owed Nicole.

And, of course, while the plan sounded simple, there were still numerous tiny details that needed to be worked out. Who to send with them, where to deploy from, when to deploy, how they would spy on Castle Krakenburg. It was all a huge headache, but with a strategist such as Yukimura, they had a feasible plan within a matter of days.

Their group had traveled day and night, stopping only when exhaustion forced them to. They had just recently deployed after a brief rest at Fort Shimoga when their target had entered the very valley they were currently sneaking through.

"Kaze, there is no way we are this lucky. It has to be a trap," Rinkah said heatedly.

"King Garon doesn't know we are alive. Yukimura's plan was also dealt with the utmost discretion," Kaze responded.

"And have you ever heard the term spy? You know, the very thing we were sent to do? Just because ninjas are the best at spying doesn't mean that Nohr is incapable of it," Rinkah retorted.

"Then we merely proceed with the plan we already established: capture the woman we believe to be Lady Nicole and then bring her to Orochi so she can detect whether any illusionary magic was involved in altering her appearance."

"Yes, because we need a diviner to discover the use of hair dye!"

"And the red eyes and pointed ears? What do you make of those?" Kaze questioned, raising his eyebrows at Rinkah's deliberate avoidance of mentioning the princess's other distinguishing characteristics.

Her response was merely a huff of annoyance and sullen silence as they resumed watching Nicole. She reached the bridge and continued along it until a Hoshidan archer forced them to stop. From their vantage point, they could just make out what was being said between the Hoshidan and the princess, including her reasons for coming to Fort Shimoga.

"She actually believed the fortress to be abandoned?" Rinkah said, sarcasm evident in her tone.

"Maybe this is Garon's retribution for her attempts to aid us, punish her for sparing our lives by unexpectedly forcing her to take one. It's cruel enough to be King Garon's handiwork," Kaze reasoned. He continued watching the exchange, wincing as a brutish axe wielder attacked their comrade.

"So much for being a peace lover," Rinkah said, a murderous look on her face as she prepared to charge the Nohrians.

"Wait!" Kaze exclaimed, putting a hand on Rinkah's arm as Nicole leapt to the defense of the archer.

"She's saving him," Rinkah began in disbelief. "Either she truly is the lost Hoshidan princess or she's a fool."

They fell silent, watching the ensuing chase and scuffle with growing trepidation, wondering if they should intervene or allow this to continue. Kaze winced as he heard Nicole scream the name of the older man in her group as he was pushed into the canyon. Even Rinkah, who was still wary and distrustful of the Nohrian princess, grimaced at her obvious grief. The berserker ran into the trees a few yards from them, not noticing them in his attempt to escape the vengeful butler following him.

"Okay Kaze, now we should _definitely_ intervene. It looks like your brother is about to murder the possible sister of his liege," Rinkah said, once again preparing to charge the bridge, but, as before, Kaze put a hand on her arm to stop her.

"What are you doing? Do you want her to-," she stopped talking as she heard the sound of horse's hooves. The sound of Nohrian reinforcements. Four soldiers came into view, each on some sort of mount.

"Is that… the entire royal family of Nohr?" Rinkah exclaimed, recognizing them from Nicole's test.

"It would appear so," Kaze answered, grimacing at the realization that Fort Shimoga could fall this day.

"It looks like they're ordering Nicole to retreat," Rinkah observed, watching the Nohrian crown prince indicating in the direction the butler had run off.

The direction where Kaze, Rinkah, and about ten other Hoshidan soldiers were currently hiding.

"Of course they would send her away. Based on what I've seen of her, she would most certainly not approve of their next actions. However, if they are sending her after that butler, this will make things much easier for us," Kaze said, taking out a small shuriken laced with a sleeping potion.

Nicole began approaching the Hoshidan soldiers and soon entered the grove of trees they were hiding in.

"Now?" Rinkah said, pulling out her club.

"Now," Kaze responded, a determined look in his eyes as he took off after the Nohrian princess.

* * *

I entered the grove of trees Jakob had passed through earlier intent on ensuring I only lost one retainer today. For once, I was filled with so much blind fury that I was willing to set aside my pacifist ideals in favor of exacting revenge on Hans. Maybe that was what prompted me to retreat from the battlefield so easily, without much protest over the battle I knew was about to break out. Then again, maybe it was fear.

Fear of what I'd see if I stayed.

I loved my siblings, but when they were focused on their duty to Nohr, they honestly terrified me a bit. I remembered their cold disposition during my test. I thought of their rage filled expressions as they addressed the Hoshidan soldiers. I most definitely did not want to see what they were capable of on the battlefield.

And so, like a coward, I ran.

Perhaps I couldn't judge them. After all, I felt such a bone deep, wrathful hatred towards Hans that, should I see him again, I wasn't sure I could stop myself from avenging Gunter's murder. In the end, was I truly different from them?

I would sort these thoughts later. For now, I would find Jakob and have him heal the throbbing cut from the ninja's shuriken.

I suddenly heard the sound of a branch snapping nearby. I whirled towards the source of the sound, fingers grasping for a sword that was no longer there. I backed up, steadily stepping away from the sound's source as I glanced around for anything I could use as a weapon. From the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of silver, a glimmer of light, and I rolled onto my side to avoid it. Another shuriken embedded itself into the tree that had been behind me. I stood, turning around to run in the opposite direction the shuriken had been thrown from, but I was met with another Hoshidan soldier. I looked around and soon came to the panicked conclusion that I was surrounded.

"I truly am sorry about this," a green haired ninja said apologetically.

"Y-you!" I stammered, recognizing him as the ninja I had spared during Father's test. I reeled back as he threw another shuriken, this one embedding itself into my shoulder. My thoughts immediately darkened, gripped by a powerful sleeping potion as my vision dimmed. The last thing I heard was part of a conversation between Kaze and another Hoshidan.

"Where did Orochi say we should meet her?" Came a woman's voice.

"She said to meet her at your home, the Flame Tribe. We have an excuse to be there as you are the chieftain's daughter, and we can determine whether she truly is Princess Nicole before informing the royal family." Kaze responded.

The woman said something in response, but I could no longer hear. My vision dimmed further before, finally, I fell into blissful unconsciousness.

* * *

Lilith watched, hidden, as her dearest friend was captured. She made a move, almost revealing herself, in an effort to save Nicole.

But then she heard the discussion between the ninja and the Oni Savage.

They knew. About Nicole's background, about the Nohrian royal family's greatest secret… all of it.

She paused, deliberating. If she saved Nicole, if she intervened, Nicole might never know the truth, and even if she were to learn it, it could very well be too late by then. She could let her friend remain in blissful ignorance, but she wouldn't want that. She deserved more than that.

Lilith watched as the ninja picked Nicole up, carrying her in the direction of a smaller bridge a ways away from the fort, a bridge that would allow them to cross the border without alerting Nicole's Nohrian siblings that she had been captured.

Lilith merely watched and hoped nothing ill would come from her decision.

She picked up her bag, readied herself for the journey ahead, and followed the Hoshidans.


	5. A Legacy of Lies

**A/N: Sorry if it feels like the first six game chapters are kind of dragging on. I'm trying to focus on telling the story from multiple perspectives to fix a few plot holes and focus on character development, but it is causing it to take a little longer than I expected to get to the big choice. I know a lot of you have probably either read or played the first six chapters numerous times, but just bear with me here.**

 **I would like to thank everyone that has reviewed and once again give a shout out the Cerenda for editing.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem.**

* * *

Orochi sat, watching her potions shift colors, throwing rainbows of light across the small hut she currently occupied. Every test, every potion brought her one step closer to the truth, to unraveling the mystery of the sleeping woman Kaze had brought to the Flame Tribe. Her brow furrowed, the tests becoming more and more conclusive as she slowly felt a kernel of hope take root in her chest.

From the first test, which glowed bright green in a glass beaker, she concluded that the woman definitely had traces of dragon blood in her veins. As such, Orochi could conclude that this woman was royalty, even if she wasn't the lost Lady Nicole. From various other spells and potions she had employed, she learned that the woman had not altered her appearance in any way, even going so far as to test a strand of her hair to ensure the purple color was natural. She whiled away the hours doing any manner of potion she could think of that would test the mysterious woman's identity until, after nearly a full day of tests, she was forced to come to a conclusion.

She almost couldn't believe it. After the many years of bitter disappointment for her liege, and by extension herself, she was almost afraid to believe it, but the tests didn't lie. Only the Hoshidan throne of truth itself could provide a more definitive answer. Orochi felt relief settle into her heart as she thought of what her liege's reaction would when she was told.

Orochi stood and exited the small hut only to be greeted by Kaze as he nervously pace outside her temporary workshop. Not that she could blame him. After all, Orochi was one of the few people that knew he had a personal stake in this.

"Well?" Kaze asked nervously, glancing inside the hut to see the numerous beakers littering the small space.

"It truly is her… Princess Nicole of Hoshido has returned."

* * *

I woke up slowly, awareness gradually returning to me as my eyes fluttered open. After a few moments, I sat up, glancing at my surroundings and shaking off the slight feeling of dizziness that washed over me. I was in what appeared to be a small hut with a fire pit burning in the center, a delicious aroma wafting from a pot above it.

"Well, I see you're finally awake," a vaguely familiar voice said from the doorway.

My eyes snapped to the woman standing there, a woman I now recognized to be Rinkah, the Oni Savage I had spared.

"You! You are the daughter of the Flame Tribe's chieftain, right?" I said, horror slowly dawning on me as my still scrambled brain realized the implications of her presence.

"Yes, the one you so mercifully 'spared'," she responded a bit heatedly, pride obviously still wounded from losing to me.

"Does this… does this mean that I'm in…" I trailed off, unable to finish the thought.

"Yes, you are in Hoshido. More specifically, you are in the Flame Tribe," she finished for me. I thought I saw a flash of sympathy in her eyes, but she regained her indifferent expression before I had a chance to truly tell.

"Oh," I responded eloquently. My mind was spinning with the idea that I was no longer in Nohr. I had only been allowed to leave the Northern fortress a few days ago, and now I had left Nohr entirely.

"You should eat something," Rinkah said, reaching for a bowl and ladling some of the soup I had smelled earlier into it. She awkwardly handed it to me, looking as uncomfortable in my presence as I felt.

"Um, thank you?" I said hesitantly, Rinkah's threats from a few days ago echoing in my ears.

"If I had truly wanted to kill you, I could have easily done so while you slept. I can guarantee you the soup is not poisoned," Rinkah said with a smirk, noticing my hesitation to eat.

My stomach rumbled in response to the sight of food and I realized I was actually starving. But if I was this hungry, how long had I been asleep? Were my siblings alright? What happened to the soldiers of Fort Shimoga? I sipped the soup, staving off these questions until after I could regain a bit of my strength.

"What happened at the fort?" I questioned Rinkah, deciding to start with that. She hesitated, as if debating whether to answer me before finally speaking.

"After we captured you, the Nohrian royals retreated. I assume they thought you were safe, so they left. They killed a few of our soldiers, but Hoshido still holds Fort Shimoga."

"My siblings are okay?" I asked, relieved they had not been captured as well.

"Yes, the Nohrian royal family survives to harass Hoshido another day," Rinkah said, shifting uncomfortably at the mention of my siblings. "Any other questions?"

"Yes, are you going to kill me?" I asked bluntly. Even Rinkah seemed taken aback by my question. She stared at me for a moment, mouth slightly agape, before responding.

"No… why would you think that?"

"The last time we spoke, you said you would make me pay for besting you in battle. Have you decided against that?" I asked, barely holding out hope that I would somehow make it through this situation alive.

"Well, I have decided against killing you, but… I am handing you over to the Hoshidan authorities," Rinkah said, the sympathy I thought I saw earlier flashing in her eyes again.

My stomach plummeted at this news and the soup I had sipped earlier churned uncomfortably. I was to be handed over to the Hoshidan authorities? Any hope I had of living to see my siblings again evaporated at this revelation. The ninja's threats from earlier rang in my ears. I would face the Hoshidan royal family, and they would execute me for Hans' attack.

"So, you are handing me over so the Hoshidan royal family themselves can personally kill me," I said darkly, slowly bringing myself to accept my impending doom.

"Somehow, I doubt that will happen," Rinkah said, regaining the smirk she had entered with.

"What do you-," I began, but I was cut off by a knock at the hut's door.

"Ah, it seems he's here sooner than expected," Rinkah said, opening the door to reveal the man responsible for my capture.

"Greetings, Rinkah. I was just coming to check if she is… Ah, you're awake!" Kaze said upon noticing me. He winced a little as I glared at him, angry he had been responsible for my capture after I had spared him.

"Well, are we heading out then?" Rinkah asked, ignoring Kaze's discomfort and my anger.

"Yes, I just need to prepare the horses and then we shall be off," Kaze said, retreating from the heated look I was giving him.

"I wouldn't be so hard on him," Rinkah said as I followed her out of the hut. I shivered a little as I left the warm hut behind and was exposed to the chilly mountain air.

"It's a little hard to be courteous towards the man responsible for my capture, not to mention the man marching me to my execution," I retorted.

"As I already told you, I seriously doubt you will be killed," Rinkah responded.

We lapsed into silence for a few moments, Rinkah unwilling to initiate another conversation and me unwilling to believe that I wouldn't be executed once we reached the capital.

"Can I ask you a question?" I said after a while, glancing at our snowy surroundings.

"You have already asked me several at this point, and, somehow, I think you would ask regardless of my answer," Rinkah responded with a sigh, apparently already weary of my presence.

"Why does the Flame Tribe live in a snow covered mountain? Wouldn't the desert be a more fitting climate?" I asked. If I was going to die soon, the least she could do was satisfy my curiosity.

"The cold keeps us in a constant state of discomfort, which keeps us aware. If we must endure the cold of the mountains to do this, then we shall. Also, the Wind Tribe has already laid claim to most of the desert. There is bad blood between our people that we do not wish to repeat, so we remain here," Rinkah explained, but all this did was create several other questions I wanted answers to. I was just about to ask some of them when Kaze returned.

With him were three horses. A brilliant white horse was the first I noticed, and my guess was this one belonged to Kaze. In the saddlebags, I could see several different concoctions with healing potions inside of them as well as a few shuriken just peeking out of the bag. The horse I assumed to be my own was a beautiful shade of midnight black with fur that gleamed in the sunlight that had nothing on it save it's saddle and bridle. Rinkah's horse was chestnut brown and had several different types of clubs strapped to it. Strapped to its side was also a strange looking sword. As the horse drew closer, I was able to get a good look at it, and I saw that it was… it was…

Ganglari.

The sword gifted to me by King Garon. The sword that Hans knocked over the edge of the bridge. So if it had fallen into the canyon…

How was it here?

"Milady," Kaze greeted, bowing slightly. I felt a flash of confusion. I was a Nohrian princess and his prisoner. Why would he bow to me? "After the battle at Fort Shimoga, my brother retrieved your sword from the bridge and passed it to me when I reported that we had found you," he explained upon seeing my confused glance towards the sword. I pushed my confusion away. Perhaps I had merely dropped on the bridge and not noticed during the chaos of the scuffle, but I still felt uneasy. I instead focused on Kaze's words and thought back to the battle, trying to remember if I had faced anyone that could be his brother.

"Wait, is your brother the angry red haired ninja?" I asked. It made sense. They were around the same age and they were both ninjas. Plus, his brother would have had to get close enough to know that Ganglari was mine.

Kaze winced at my description while Rinkah snorted, repeating 'angry red haired ninja' with a laugh while mounting her horse.

"That… would be the one," Kaze said, still grimacing at my description. He mounted his horse and I was left with no option but to mount mine.

We began riding towards the capital…

And towards what would most likely be my execution.

* * *

Ryoma stifled a yawn and returned his training sword to its proper place in the armory. He had been training for hours, but he was not nearly done for the day. It was already late in the morning, and he had many councils to participate in today.

Since Queen Mikoto abhorred fighting of any kind, Ryoma had volunteered years ago to head the war effort. With this came the honor of leading Hoshido's military before he had even taken on the mantle of king, but it also created a seemingly endless stream of council meetings.

"Lord Ryoma, may I speak with you?" Saizo asked, stepping out of the shadows to walk a respectful distance behind his liege.

"Ah, Saizo. I was actually hoping to speak with you before I arrived at my next meeting. It is about the attack on Fort Shimoga. I have heard some reports from other soldiers stationed there, but I would like to hear your firsthand account of the events," Ryoma requested, slowing his steps to walk beside his retainer.

"Actually milord…. what I wanted to discuss with you may be better explained if you first hear my report of the battle," Saizo began, his words spoken with a touch of hesitancy. Ryoma narrowed his eyes, wary at the change in Saizo's demeanor. He was never hesitant, not unless something had gone wrong.

"What has happened?" Ryoma asked in a worried tone.

"Well…" Saizo trailed off. At this, Ryoma stopped completely.

"Saizo, give me your report and tell me what has happened," Ryoma said in tone that brooked no argument.

"Before I give you my report, I think it is important that you know the full story of Kaze's capture," Saizo began, swallowing nervously. He watched his liege's expression darken as he realized information of Kaze's capture had been purposefully kept from him. Before Ryoma could reprimand him, Saizo continued. "Kaze reported that he had been spared by a merciful Nohrian noble, but, in truth, it was a Nohrian princess that saved him. The princess's name was… Nicole."

Ryoma's face, which had previously been expressionless, flashed with shock before he carefully schooled his features once again. Inside, though, his emotions were a chaotic mess, a constant shift of grief, love, bitterness, and hope. He wanted to believe it was her, but… was it truly possible? After all this time, could she really still be alive?

"Saizo, why would you not tell me this? It is unlikely it is truly her, but if there was even a chance… Why?" Ryoma asked heatedly, angry at the deception of his retainer.

"We wanted to be sure before we told you. We knew how devastating it would be to give the royal family hope after all these years just to crush it," Saizo responded, bowing his head in shame. Ryoma's temper cooled as he realized the truth in Saizo's words.

"... I won't lie, that was probably the wisest decision with Hinoka and Mother. They would have been crushed by another disappointment such as this is bound to be," Ryoma said with a sigh, already trampling the small seed of hope that had taken root in his chest.

"Milord, that is why I wished to speak with you. At the battle near Fort Shimoga, we encountered this woman again. She was sent by King Garon to survey an 'empty fort'. When she arrived, a companion of hers attacked one of our soldiers, but… she defended our man and battled the Nohrian. The rest of the Nohrian Royal family arrived and ordered her to retreat. However, Kaze and Rinkah still managed to capture her. They took this woman to the Flame Tribe to meet with Orochi. She has been there the last day or so performing tests to see if she can determine her identity," Saizo reported, still warily watching his liege and waiting for his reaction to this news.

"And?" Ryoma choked out in a strangled voice, desperate to know the results of Orochi's test.

"She concluded that this woman is indeed Princess Nicole of Hoshido," Saizo said.

Ryoma didn't think, couldn't think, for a few seconds. They had finally found her. This thought kept ringing in his ears, the only thing he was able to hear. Deep down, his wariness, forged through the long, bitter years of disappointment, tried to impart some sense of caution in his, but he quickly disregarded it.

 _His sister was alive._

After years of searching, they had finally found her. Queen Mikoto would weep tears of joy at the news. Hinoka would no doubt break into one of her legendary sobbing fits. Sakura would be excited to finally meet the big sister she had been robbed of. It might even be enough to warrant some slight reaction from Takumi.

"When can I see her?" Ryoma asked, enough of his senses finally returned to ask this question.

"Kaze and Rinkah will be escorting her to Castle Shirasagi. They should arrive later today," Saizo said, eyes finally softening at the sight of his liege's joy.

"Cancel all of the war councils for the rest of the day," Ryoma ordered.

"But, Milord… do you truly think that is the wisest course of action? The nobles are sure to be unhappy," Saizo cautioned.

"As of right now Saizo, I don't care."

And, for once, he truly didn't.

* * *

Jakob trudged on, mentally berating himself with every footstep. He had failed, both his liege and his dead companion. The traitor had escaped his grasp, having outrun Jakob until he realized how far he had strayed from Nicole.

In his rage, he had charged after Hans without a second thought. It was only later, after running quite a ways that he realized his mistake. He had left his liege behind. He had assumed she would follow him, that she would want revenge on Hans too, but, looking back, he remembered how close the Hoshidans were after the scuffle on the bridge. He remembered the ninja and archers in their ranks, and he became panicked at the prospect of his liege being captured or killed.

Abruptly, he stopped his pursuit of the brutish berserker, grudgingly allowing him to escape, and began making his way back to Fort Shimoga. The sight that greeted him upon his arrival had shocked him. It seemed as if a battle had taken place near the bridge, several Hoshidan soldiers lay dead, their comrades beginning the slow process of returning their bodies to the fort. Could Nicole have….

No, she would never. Jakob knew the kind of person Nicole was, and he knew she would never be capable of this. Besides, after the initial shock had worn off, he could make out some of the soldiers injuries. There were signs of magic and axes used, neither of which Nicole was proficient enough in to do this kind of damage. But… if Nicole hadn't done it, who did?

Jakob crept closer, his stealth honed through years of his liege forcing him to play hide and seek with her.

"-would they just leave?" He overheard one of the soldiers say, face grim as he helped carry the bodies of his fallen comrades.

"I don't know. Maybe they merely wished to save that one companion of theirs," a samurai answered.

"Yeah right. I'm sure their only goal was to save their ally," the first soldier responded sarcastically.

"Nohrians regularly sacrifice their allies if it means further harassing Hoshido. What makes these soldiers any different?" Another soldier said, butting into the conversation.

"Look, all of them have already returned to Fort Richelle, so shut your traps about them and let us finish caring for our fallen," an archer snapped, a dark look on his face as he continued on with his somber task.

The other soldiers mumbled apologies, thoroughly chastised for their disrespectful behavior, but Jakob had already learned all he needed to know. Jakob didn't know who had aided Nicole, though he had a sneaking suspicion that it was a certain band of royal siblings, but he did know they had likely escorted her to Fort Richelle.

He turned away from the border and began the long trek back to the fortress. Jakob continued on for another hour before reaching the fort at twilight. He paused at the gate, waiting to be allowed entrance as a soldier squinted down at him from the ramparts.

"Who are you and what business do you have at Fort Richelle?" The soldier asked in a suspicious tone, eyeing Jakob's slightly rumpled appearance.

"I am Jakob, retainer to Princess Nicole," Jakob said in an irritated tone, impatient to return to his liege's side.

"Ah yes, Prince Xander and Princess Camilla said to keep an eye out for you," the guard said, signaling to someone inside the fort. Jakob breathed a sigh of relief, his suspicions of Nicole's mysterious rescuers confirmed. Surely she would have been safe with them.

The gates squeaked open and Jakob stepped inside the fort. He was greeted by a bustle of activity as he saw soldiers training in courtyard. Maids and butlers also bustled about carrying armfuls of sheets and candlesticks, likely preparing rooms fit for the royal family. A maid suddenly appeared beside him and beckoned him to follow. Jakob smiled; _finally_ he would be reunited with his Lady.

The maid led him to a library farther in the fortress, opening the door to reveal the royal family…. or most of the royal family. His liege was absent, but Jakob did not panic just yet. Perhaps she was merely seeing a healer or something and her siblings wished to hear his report in the meantime. He felt the beginnings of fear, though, as Princess Elise craned her neck to see around him. Almost as if…

Almost as if she were looking for someone.

"Jakob," Camilla greeted, also trying to glance around Jakob, but in a much more discreet manner.

"Your highnesses," Jakob began with a bow. "I shall give you my report of what transpired at the fort, but first, may I ask you where Lady Nicole is?"

Jakob felt as though he had been doused with a bucket of ice water as the royal siblings reacted to his words. Prince Xander tightened his grip on the glass of water in his hand until Jakob feared it would shatter. The look in his eyes was murderous and his face was set in an even darker expression than normal. Princess Camilla looked as though she might faint, all the color leaching from her face as she stared at Jakob with wide, disbelieving eyes. Prince Leo closed the book he had been reading, gripping it tightly as he shook with barely controlled anger and fear for his sister. Princess Elise stared at the book she had dropped, eyes flashing with tears before she turned her head away from everyone.

"Jakob… we sent Nicole to look for you," Camilla said in a strangled whisper.

"I-I didn't see her again after I chased Hans," Jakob responded, heart constricting as he thought of his failure. It was a retainer's duty to _always_ protect their liege. Jakob had run off after Hans and abandoned his Lady. He had failed her utterly, and, because of his mistake, she had been captured.

"Perhaps she was not captured. Maybe you just missed each other in the trees," Leo suggested, the barest flicker of hope shining in his eyes.

"The grove was not that large, Milord. The only reason I lost Hans was because I realized Lady Nicole had not followed. However, when I returned to the fort, I overheard a conversation between a few soldiers. They mentioned that all of the Nohrians had returned to Fort Richelle, so maybe they didn't capture her," Jakob said, feeling hope spark in his chest.

"So you mean to tell me she is all alone, near a Hoshidan border fort, with Hans running loose in the area," Camilla said, a slight edge of hysteria in her tone.

"There is another possible scenario," Xander said quietly from his seat. "There are numerous bridges that span the Bottomless Canyon. It is possible she was taken over one of those and not brought to Fort Shimoga."

"But what purpose would it serve to capture her and not bring her to the fort?" Leo asked, still trying to hold onto hope that Nicole wasn't captured.

"After we released the Hoshidan prisoners, Nicole mentioned that the ninja had reacted to her name. It is possible that… he guessed who she truly is. If he shared this information with anyone, they might have captured her and decided to take her to a more isolated location instead of immediately revealing her identity to those in the border fort," Xander explained in a grim tone.

The rest of them were stunned silent by this. To the other royal siblings, the idea that Nicole might actually be told the truth was terrifying. They feared how she would react. Would she accept the truth? Would she be angry with them for lying to her? And, most worrisome, would they ever see her again? Or would the Hoshidans hide her behind their magic barrier and never allow her to return?

These questions dominated the minds of all of the royal siblings, but, for Jakob, it was far more complicated than that. There were feelings of worry and fear, but he also felt a strange sort of relief. Relief that his great sin would be revealed, that she would find out the truth and be spared the king's immediate wrath.

"What are we going to do?" Leo asked, breaking the uneasy silence that had befallen the room.

"We go after her of course!" Camilla responded, always a woman of action, even when that action was a foolish one.

"Are you forgetting about the magic barrier? We are rendered unable to fight inside Hoshido because of the barrier and the border guards ensure no one enters," Xander reasoned.

"Well then, what do you suggest we do? Abandon her?" Camilla exclaimed heatedly.

"Of course not. Just because there is a magical barrier preventing us from mounting a full invasion doesn't mean we don't have any soldiers stationed in Hoshido. It just means they have to be more careful. I say we wait and let our spies gather information," Xander said, though he didn't look any happier about his plan than Camilla.

"We wait for information from our spies! Do you know how long that will take? They will have already told her everything by then!" Camilla responded furiously.

"I know, but we don't have much of a choice. We can't enter by stealth; we would be defenseless once inside Hoshido. We also can't get in by force; once again we would be stopped by the barrier."

"Why are you so unwilling to take action?" Camilla yelled, finally snapping.

"I'm trying to devise a plan that won't lead to anymore losses," Xander shot back.

"Sitting here and doing nothing will surely lead to losses," Camilla retorted, rising from her chair to tower over Xander.

"And for all we know, she's already lost to us!" Xander yelled, rising out of his own chair. He quickly sat down, however, as the fight seeped out of him and he said, "For all we know, she will be lost to us the second she finds out the truth of her origins."

"She… she wouldn't betray us like that… right?" Camilla said, slumping back into her own chair as all the anger was leached from her features.

"After all we have done to betray her, sister, I honestly don't know."

Jakob stood in silence, watching their argument, watching the misery of Nicole's siblings, and felt guilt mar the relief he had felt just moments earlier. He was the one charged with protecting Nicole, and he had failed. Their suffering… it was all his fault. And anything that happened to Lady Nicole because of this…

It was all his fault.

* * *

I stood in front of the doors leading to the throne room of Castle Shirasagi, hardly believing I was about to enter. I sighed, hanging my head as I struggled to come to terms with the very likely possibility I would never walk out of this place alive. I shook my head slightly, trying to shake off the dark thoughts that entered into my mind.

How had it come to this? Just over a week ago I had been safely tucked away in the Northern fortress, coddled by siblings and retainers alike. Now I was here, worrying about whether or not I would survive the next hour.

However, if I was going to be executed, I suppose I was happy it would be here. I couldn't think of a more beautiful place to die. Through the haze of fear that had engulfed my mind throughout the trip to the castle, that was one of the few things I was able to notice. The scenery was amazing in Hoshido. The plant life was far more abundant than in Nohr with dazzling displays of flowers and blooming trees providing a gentle cascade of pink petals.

And then there was the castle itself. It was what I'd always imagined Castle Krakenburg to look like. It was a soaring, beautiful castle surrounded by lush trees and waterfalls, all decorated in hues of red and white. The palace sat atop a cliff overlooking the capital to make it defensible against a siege. I almost laughed at the irony of that. Krakenburg had been built at the bottom of a man made crater for the same reason, and Shirasagi had been built on a cliff, almost in direct opposition to the Nohrian capital.

Perhaps, if the royal family of Hoshido was willing to grant my last request, they would execute me outside. I would like to enjoy the sensation of basking in the sunlight one last time.

"The guards have announced our presence to Queen Mikoto," Kaze informed me, snapping me out of my thoughts as the guards opened the doors to the throne room.

I steeled myself, closing my eyes and taking a few deep breaths, and I entered the throne room. It was just as beautiful as the rest of Hoshido. The space was bright and open, decorated in the royal colors of red and white. The large throne on the other end of the long room practically glowed with a brilliant light.

My attention, however, was immediately drawn to the figure sitting on top of the throne and the man standing at her right. The woman had a serene presence that inexplicably calmed my nerves. She had long, dark hair and wore an elaborate white kimono. The golden crown encircling her head left little doubt as to her identity. In contrast to her soothing presence, the man at her side was quite intimidating. He had long, spiky brown hair that hung to his waist. He also wore intricate armor decorated in the Hoshidan royal colors. The sword strapped to his side made me think he was a retainer to the queen, or perhaps a royal himself.

I walked towards them as slowly as I dared, still wary of them despite the queen's serene presence. As I approached, they both smiled at me. I was baffled. Why would they smile so gently at a Nohrian princess? I thought back to Rinkah's earlier assurances that I wouldn't be executed and the kindness Kaze had shown me despite being his prisoner. Was there something going on here that I didn't know about?

I reached the end of the room and stood in front of the throne, staring at the floor. I waited for one of them to say something as I continued to avert my gaze, too afraid of what I would see in their eyes if I looked. After a few moments, the queen stood and walked forward until she was right in front of me. I half expected to feel a dagger in my side at any second. I risked a glance at the queen and was shocked to see tears shining in her eyes.

"Nicole… my sweet child!" She cried, wrapping her arms around me.

"W-what are you talking about?" I stuttered, frozen in place by my confusion. I felt waves of shock move through me. Why was she calling me her child? Why was she hugging me? What was going on?

"Mother, perhaps it would be a good idea to explain the situation to her first?" The man said, a small smile on his face at the sight of the queen's joy. I supposed his use of 'Mother' did answer my earlier question, though.

"Ah, yes. I apologize," Queen Mikoto said, finally releasing me from her hug. "Nicole, I know this may be hard for you to believe, but I am your mother. The Nohrian royals have no doubt kept this from you, but I hope you can eventually come to accept this," she explained.

I stood, rooted to the spot, as my mind tried to process what she had just said. She was my mother? But King Garon was my Father. How would that be possible?

"King Garon is my Father, what you're saying doesn't make any sense!" I exclaimed heatedly, my mind still vehemently rejecting the notion. She winced at my statement and the man behind her frowned.

"My dear Nicole… You are right. That doesn't make any sense because King Garon is not your father. Your real father, King Sumeragi, attended a peace conference with King Garon in Cheve twelve years ago. The end of that conference saw him dead and you a hostage in Garon's clutches. I didn't… I didn't know if I'd ever see you again…" she trailed off, tears once again gathering in her eyes.

I didn't want to believe it, but even as I tried to refute it, scrambled memories in my head were starting to form a picture I desperately wished I could unsee. My childhood locked away in a tower, the flicker of fury I saw in my retainer's eyes whenever I talked about how much my siblings meant to me, Xander's fear when he found out Kaze had known my name. It all contributed to a slow acceptance starting to build inside of me.

"I… I…" I stuttered, unable to come up with an appropriate response to their claims.

"Every word she says is true. I am your older brother, Ryoma," he said with a sad look in his eyes and a hopeful smile on his face.

"You're my brother?" I asked, searching his eyes, searching for any indication that he was lying. Ryoma nodded, eyes softening and filling with love. It was the same look I'd seen so often in Xander's eyes. It was the look of an older brother. And, perhaps it was just my naïveté, but I didn't think you could fake that.

"I know this is so sudden. I know how shocking and confusing this must be to you, but I must ask. Will you accept us?" Queen Mikoto asked. She held out her hand and looked at me with pleading eyes.

I stared at her hand for a few moments, my mind sorting through a thousand memories. Father, no, King Garon ordering me locked away in the Northern Fortress for twelve years. My tutors refusing to teach me anything about Hoshidan history. Looking in the mirror and wondering why my features were so different from my sibling's. A hazy, half remembered dream of a barrage of arrows and the flash of an axe. And so many, many more.

I glanced up and stared at the queen's face, the same heart shape as my own, and stared into her eyes, exactly like mine except for the color. All these memories, all these similarities between me and Queen Mikoto, only supported her claim and further cemented my acceptance. I looked back at her hand and made my choice.

"I accept that you are my true mother," I said, glancing up again just in time for her to pull me into another hug.

"Thank you," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. Ryoma laughed at the Queen Mikoto's, no, Mother's joy. A smile once again on his face as he watched me slowly hug her back. Strangely, the sensation felt familiar.

Their celebration was cut short as a soldier burst through the doors and quickly ran to the throne.

"Your highnesses! Faceless are attacking one of our northern towns!" He burst out, panic etching his features.

"What? Sakura and Hinoka are in that region!" Ryoma exclaimed, smile slipping from his face at this news.

"Yessir, I was informed they are helping to evacuate the villagers," the soldier said. I noticed a few cuts on his arms. He also appeared exhausted, and I wondered how far he had run to deliver the message.

"Very well, thank you for informing us. You are dismissed. Have a healer tend to your wounds and rest," Ryoma ordered, a grim look on his face as the soldier exited the throne room.

"Ryoma…" Mother began, glancing at Ryoma with a worried look in her eyes.

"I shall go and aid in the fight against the Faceless. Nicole, I ask that you accompany me. Hinoka and Sakura are your sisters, and I would like you to see what, exactly, Nohr is capable of," Ryoma said, turning to me.

I nodded in agreement and we exited the throne room, going off to rescue sisters I hadn't known about in a kingdom I had recently been an enemy of. My mind spun with all I had learned in the past hour. My entire life was a lie. Now that I had accepted my birth families claims, I was left with this disturbing revelation. How many people had known? How many people had kept this from me? And, one of the most troubling questions of all…

What would happen when I faced my Nohrian siblings again?


	6. A Faceless Enemy

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait! Writer's block and a busy schedule have once again conspired against me to make writing this chapter a lengthy process.**

 **Antex- the legendary Zoroark: So I looked back at the meeting between Mikoto and Nicole, and I agree I might have had Nicole accept things too quickly. I tried to rectify that in this chapter and and elaborate on Nicole's reasoning for accepting so quickly. Thanks for pointing it out!**

 **As always, I'd like to thank the ever amazing Cerenda for editing this chapter and helping me work out a few bugs here and there. I'd also like to thank everyone that's taken the time to review/ favorite/ follow so far!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ Sakura thought to herself as she cowered behind her elder sister for protection. This was all her fault. If she hadn't sprained her ankle, she and Hinoka could have retreated by now. If she hadn't sent both of her retainers to protect the villagers they had recently evacuated, they might have better luck defending against the Faceless. If she hadn't insisted they travel to the mountain village for rare herbs, they would never have been here in the first place!

Hinoka was in grave danger, putting herself in front of Sakura to defend her from every enemy that came their way, and it was all Sakura's fault. If she wasn't so weak, if she hadn't insisted they travel to the apothecary's shop, maybe they would be safe in Castle Shirasagi right now. Maybe Hinoka wouldn't be risking her life to save Sakura's.

These worries ran through her head as she focused on her healing staff and concentrated on the energy flowing within. She winced as she noted the low energy levels emanating from the staff, indicating that it did not have many uses left. Hinoka was still fighting furiously a few feet from Sakura, but how long would she last once the staff's healing energy ran out?

"Sakura, are you alright?" Hinoka asked, dismounting her pegasus after she dispatched the last Faceless. Sakura glanced around. Currently, they were sheltered by a hill at one side. Glancing out at the open field beyond the hill, she could see numerous Faceless still roaming about, but for the time being, they were too far away to spot the sisters.

"A-am I alright? I s-should be asking y-you that question. You're the one taking a-all the hits," Sakura said, staring at the ground in shame.

"Yeah, and you're the one exhausting yourself to keep me healed up! Don't discount your abilities so easily," Hinoka gently admonished her.

"B-but if I hadn't insisted w-we come here to g-get those herbs…" Sakura said guiltily, still blaming herself for the danger the sisters now found themselves in.

"Then the villagers would still be in danger, and we wouldn't have been here to evacuate them," Hinoka said firmly, unwilling to hear her younger sister berate herself for their plight.

"A-and then I had to s-sprain my ankle," Sakura said, close to tears now.

"A sprained ankle you got because you tripped over a rock in your rush to heal me before I got crushed by the Faceless," Hinoka retorted.

Sakura hung her head guiltily and saw a flash of green out of the corner of her eye.

"Hinoka!" She screamed, trying to warn her sister before the approaching Faceless crushed her beneath its fist.

She whirled around, bringing her naginata up in a desperate attempt to deflect the attack. While she succeeded in blocking the majority of it, the hulking monster still managed to land a glancing blow to her side, the devastating force of the attack snapping a bone in her left arm upon impact. Hinoka gasped in pain and retaliated with a blow of her own. Using her right arm, she buried her naginata deep into the monster's stomach, carving upwards to nearly cut the Faceless in half. It let out a roar as it fell to the ground, and Hinoka stepped out of the way as it slowly ceased its twitching.

Hinoka hissed in pain as Sakura rushed to her side. She waved the staff over her sister, showing her in a gentle light as a soothing warmth healed her arm. The light faded and the staff shattered in Sakura's hands, the last of its magic used up.

"H-Hinoka… w-what do we do?" Sakura asked in a scared whisper.

"We'll be fine. We just have to hold out for a bit longer," Hinoka said, though her smile was strained.

Sakura looked at her sister, unconvinced by her false assurances. Hinoka could still fight, but now they were reduced to potions for healing. These would run out even quicker than Sakura's staff had. How would they last long enough for help to arrive?

"Hinoka… I-I'm scared," Sakura whispered, ashamed that she was such a coward in the face of death.

"Don't be. As long as there is breath in my body, none of the Faceless will get close to you. We can last until help arrives. I'm sure that the scout we sent out before has already reached Ryoma. He's probably rushing this way right now. We can hold out until Ryoma gets here, and then we'll be safe. I swear to you, in a few hours, we'll all be back in Castle Shirasagi and this will all be nothing but a memory," Hinoka said, more conviction in her voice as she started to believe her words.

Sakura still worried, but she felt an ember of hope take root in her chest. They didn't have to defeat every Faceless. They wouldn't have to hold out for days as they awaited rescue.

They just had to last until Ryoma arrived.

* * *

The trip to the village was a rushed, chaotic affair, Ryoma's worry speeding things up as we hurried to get there before it was too late. Ryoma led the way with Kaze and Rinkah close behind. I followed at a bit of a distance, struggling to keep up with them in an unfamiliar environment. It didn't help that we had recently begun trudging through a snowy area covered in hills, not unlike the land surrounding the Flame Tribe.

The journey was conducted mostly in silence, our own thoughts and worries preoccupying each of us as we rushed to battle. I was a bit disappointed, for I wished to learn more from Ryoma. About my sisters, about everything that had been revealed in the throne room, but another part of me was glad for the silence. It gave me time to think about what I had learned in the throne room. What I had done.

Had I made the right choice in accepting my Hoshidan family? My decision seemed a bit rash in hindsight, but at that moment, that's not the way I had seen it. It had been spurred by too many memories of hints I couldn't dismiss in the face of Mikoto's claims. And if I was being honest with myself, more than a little resentment I had always kept bottled up. Resentment spawned by my long imprisonment within the Northern Fortress. Her claims explained all of that, but looking back, should have I accepted them so easily? For all I knew, she was just looking for a way to control me.

And yet… my gut told me she was telling the truth. Perhaps it was naïveté, perhaps intuition, but I trusted her. There was a certain familiarity about her that I struggled to place. Maybe it was all in my head, merely the power of suggestion, but I couldn't easily dismiss her words as those of a cruel trickster.

After about an hour of travel, an hour of these thoughts spinning around in my head, we crested a hill and I got my first glimpse of the creatures attacking the village… the Faceless.

They were absolutely grotesque. Huge mounds of green flesh and muscle wearing terrifying, dark masks that I assumed gave them their namesake. Clanking sounds from the chains wrapped around their arms could be heard from where we were standing. I had been curious, when the soldier first appeared to warn us of the attack, what he had meant by 'the Faceless are attacking'. I supposed I had my answer.

"W-what created these abominations?" I asked Ryoma in shock, still transfixed by the monstrous sight before me.

"Nohrian mages," he answered in a dark tone, glaring at the battlefield with an assessing eye.

I turned to him with wide eyes, not quite believing his words. There was no way Nohrian mages were capable of this. Leo would never do something like this. He would always rely on genius tactics and honorable methods… not these abominations. I didn't know Nyx very well, but she hadn't seemed capable of resorting to these unsavory methods either.

But… I didn't know _every_ mage in Nohr. It was possible there would be some willing to stoop this low. But would King Garon truly be willing to condone the use of these things?

I thought back to Queen Mikoto's claims and felt my resolve hardening. Surely someone willing to attack an innocent village with these monstrosities wouldn't lose a wink of sleep over abducting a foreign princess.

"There they are!" Ryoma suddenly exclaimed, breaking me out of my thoughts. I looked in the distance and noticed a flash of crimson almost entirely blocked by a small hill obscuring our view.

"It seems they are safe for now. The hill seems to be hiding them from the Faceless. However, if they were to notice them, they could easily be overwhelmed," Kaze observed, his brow furrowing in concern as he counted the number of Faceless in the area.

"Then we must get to them before that happens," Ryoma declared, beginning to charge off into the valley.

I felt a surge of worry. What was he thinking charging off into battle alone? A one man army against a horde of Faceless? I took a step forward, ready to charge off after him, but was stopped when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Tread carefully, Lady Nicole. Your brother is a fearsome swordsman that is more than capable of handling the Faceless. I mean no disrespect when I say this, but it might be more pragmatic for the rest of us to proceed cautiously," Kaze reasoned.

I was about to ask him what he meant when I saw Ryoma approach the first of the Faceless. He unsheathed his sword and, in a flurry of movement, took the Faceless down with a single stroke. I stared, wondering how he could take down such a hulking beast in a single blow while he quickly pivoted and dispatched another Faceless.

Without another word we joined the fray, initially following Ryoma before splitting off in another direction once we realized there would be little left for us to battle if we followed him. We began cutting a path around the left side of the hill while Ryoma continued a course to the right.

As I fought, I thought again about Ryoma's claims. Was it truly possible that Nohrian mages created the Faceless? Leo had never mentioned them to me, but I supposed he never mentioned a lot of things to me. Still, all of my siblings were so honorable. I couldn't reconcile the people I had known in the fortress with the image I was being presented with. On the other hand, when I thought back to their actions during my King Garon's initial test… they hadn't exactly acted like the siblings I'd grown up with then. But that begged the question… which of their personalities were real and which was their mask?

I snapped myself out of my silent musings, mentally shaking myself into alertness just in time to feel a giant fist slam into my side. I fell onto the snow covered ground, shrieking in pain as I felt, rather than heard, my rib crack. I turned onto my back, hissing in pain as I stared at the large monster preparing to finish me. Just as it raised its giant, meaty fist into the air, chains lightly swaying, a sword stuck through its gut and stopped the beast from landing the killing blow.

It fell, and I saw Ryoma standing behind it, sheathing his sword and rushing to my side.

"Nicole, can you stand?" He asked, concern in his eyes as he lifted me into a sitting position.

"I-I think so," I said, wincing at the pain in my ribs, but otherwise fine. I stood and glanced behind Ryoma to see the two girls I assumed to be Hinoka and Sakura. The younger of the two looked at me curiously, her eyes wide as she took in my slightly battered form… and my Nohrian armor. When she noticed me watching, she quickly looked away and blushed furiously. Her hands fluttered nervously as if she was trying to fidget with something that was no longer there. The older of the two seemed slightly more put together. She still gripped her lance tightly, but the suspicion in her eyes upon seeing my Nohrian armor slowly started to fade as she took in my features.

"Sakura's staff was broken during the battle, so you'll have to rely on vulneraries until we get back to Shirasagi," Ryoma said as he handed me a bottle of healing potion. I drank it, wincing at the bitter taste, and was immediately rewarded with a slight relief to the shooting pain in my ribs.

"T-thank you for c-coming to our aid. I'm s-so sorry you got h-hurt trying to help us," the younger girl, Sakura, said with a bow. I smiled back at her, feeling a little awkward. This was, apparently, my younger sister. How was I supposed to react? Should I tell her? Was this an appropriate time and place to tell her? Did Ryoma want to wait until we were back at the castle?

I glanced over at Hinoka, the pegasus rider, and tried to gauge her reaction, but she was still staring at me with a slightly dumbfounded expression.

"I-if you don't mind me a-asking… what's y-your name?" Sakura asked meekly after a few beats of silence.

"My name is-," I began, intending to reveal my name and see what their response would be, but I was interrupted by Hinoka.

"Her name is Nicole," she said, finally entering into the conversation. I had been slightly unsettled by her staring, and I felt the beginnings of panic when I saw tears gathering in her eyes. I was even more startled when she threw herself at me and trapped me in a tight hug.

"I… I missed you so much!" Hinoka said as she slowly crushed my lungs in her death grip.

"Um," I said helplessly, not sure at all how to handle this situation. I glanced at Ryoma, my eyes silently begging for help, but he merely watched us with a small smirk and a twinkle of amusement in his eyes, as if he had expected Hinoka to react this way.

 _Thanks a lot Ryoma_. I thought petulantly.

Hinoka let me go after a few moments and jumped back, blushing.

"Sorry… I don't… usually do that," she said, clearly embarrassed by her display of emotions, and I felt myself immediately soften towards her.

"Hinoka was very attached to you when you were little. The two of you would do everything together," Ryoma explained, watching the two of us with a sad smile.

"W-wait… is this really Nicole?" Sakura asked shyly, staring at me with wide eyes.

"Yes, I know this is big news, but I think we should start heading back to Shirasagi. We can tell you along the way," Ryoma said, already turning to head back to the castle. I felt a tug on my arm and turned to see Hinoka pulling on my arm to usher me back to the castle.

"I can't believe you're back! What do you want to do first? We could take a ride on my pegasus, or we could spar, or just fold paper cranes and talk! Do you remember how we always used to do that when we were young?" Hinoka said with a childlike enthusiasm. Despite her happiness, I felt the beginnings of unease as she asked if I remembered folding paper cranes with her. Ahead of us, I saw Ryoma freeze as he, too, heard Hinoka's question.

"Hinoka…," Ryoma began, turning back to face us.

"W-what? Was it something I said?" Hinoka asked, suddenly nervous.

"I don't… I don't remember the first four years of my life," I said softly, trying to break the news to her gently. Hinoka deflated, and I thought I saw more tears in her eyes as she glanced at the ground. A few moments passed in silence. Ryoma and I stood awkwardly as Hinoka processed this information while Sakura stood to the side with an unreadable expression on her face.

"Then I suppose we'll just have to make up for lost time," Hinoka eventually responded, facing me with a tight smile. "Why don't I tell you stories about our childhood on the way back to Shirasagi? Maybe… maybe something will jog your memory."

As we walked, Hinoka told me stories of my supposed childhood in Hoshido. Tales of joy and mischief, safety and contentment. It seemed that Ryoma was right. As children, we had been inseparable. Every story she had was about the two of us. Stories of us pranking a younger Ryoma, tales of us running from the royal nursemaids, and sweet conversations between us as we laid under the sun.

As she talked, I silently wondered to myself: could someone fake that kind of happiness, that kind of disappointment? My doubts about their claims were growing fewer and fewer with every passing hour, and I was left to wonder…

What would life have been like if I had never been taken?

* * *

Leo sat in his room clutching a book, but he was not reading it. He stared vacantly at the pages while other thoughts, too distracting to ignore, spun through his head.

He felt so useless. He always had a plan; he could always get his siblings out of whatever exasperating scenario they found themselves in. But for the first time in years, he was at a loss. He didn't have a plan; he couldn't think of a solution to bring Nicole home safely. He didn't even know where to begin with planning for the truth that would undoubtedly be revealed to her.

Over the years, his siblings had come to rely on him for things like this. They had become dependent on his schemes and strategies to help them, and it killed him to fail them at such a critical time. How could he come up with such brilliant strategies to help Elise hide a broken vase, but utterly fail when Nicole's life was on the line?

His siblings reactions to Nicole's capture did not help in the slightest. If anything, their anger and sorrow only put more pressure on him to find a solution.

Elise seemed to be the worst, but perhaps that was due to her normally cheerful disposition. Her recent melancholy contrasted sharply with the bubbly, peppy little sister Leo had endured for fourteen years. Though, now that her good cheer was gone, Leo sorely missed it. She had also taken to disappearing for hours at a time, which didn't help ease Leo's mind any. He knew better than most the kind of mischief Elise could create when left to her own devices, and her frequent absences concerned him.

Camilla had taken to haunting the training field, constantly taking out her frustration on the poor practice dummies. Her overprotective nature demanded action, but training was the only release she had. It would be until Leo could develop a plan to save Nicole. When she wasn't on the training grounds, she was either locked away in her room or pestering Xander for any information he had gotten from their spies. Sadly, though, Xander had yet to receive any information on Nicole's whereabouts. If the royal family of Hoshido truly had captured her, they were being awfully closed lipped about it.

And Xander, Leo grew more concerned about him with every passing day. Though Xander hid it better than the rest of their siblings, Leo could still see the cracks forming in the mask he meticulously maintained. Just that morning, Leo had found Xander asleep at his desk, half finished paperwork littering the table in front of him. Normally, this would not concern Leo. This was not the first time he had found his elder brother asleep at his desk, but this was the first time he had found him with a mountain of unfinished work. Xander never left anything unfinished, and his apparent collapse worried Leo.

"Milord?" Niles called from the doorway, his call breaking through the dark thoughts that clouded Leo's mind.

"Niles, is everything alright? Has there been any news?" Leo asked, his attention snapping to his retainer as he desperately clung to the hope that Xander had received word on Nicole's whereabouts.

"No, not to my knowledge. King Garon is requesting the presence of all the royal children in the throne room," Niles continued in a worried tone, taking in the bedraggled appearance of his liege.

"Thank you for informing me, Niles. I'll head to there immediately," Leo responded, a flash of disappointment going through him as he realized this likely had nothing to do with Nicole's disappearance. King Garon hadn't seemed to care in the slightest when Camilla had informed him of Nicole's disappearance, and Leo didn't think that was liable to change so quickly.

Leo strode through the familiar halls of Krakenburg and marveled at how empty it felt. Strange how the absence of a resident for all of three days could leave the place feeling so devoid of life.

At the end of the hall, he spotted a familiar lavender haired figure heading towards the throne room.

"Camilla!" Leo called, quickening his stride to catch up with her.

"Hello Leo dear. Heading to the throne room as well?" Camilla said, turning to face him. Leo took in her appearance with a wince. Slumped shoulders, bags under her eyes… apparently Camilla hadn't been sleeping well lately.

"Yes. Do you know what this meeting is about?" Leo asked, filing away Camilla's newfound insomnia to worry about later.

"I haven't the faintest idea," Camilla answered. The two of them lapsed into silence, both too tired and worried to start another conversation.

They soon came to the massive doors leading to the throne room, entering after a brief salute from the guards stationed on either side of the entrance. Upon entry, they were greeted by Xander. Elise, notably, was once again absent.

"Where is Father?" Camilla asked.

"I would assume he will arrive momentarily," Xander responded with a frown as he took in Camilla's exhausted state.

"Actually, King Garon has retired to his chambers with a crippling headache, so I will be briefing you," came an oily, self important voice from the doorway. The royals turned, and Leo had to suppress a grimace as they were greeted by Iago, the weasel that hid behind their Father's favor. He gave the royals a practiced smile and adjusted the cloak of his elaborate set of mage's robes.

"Is this about Nicole?" Camilla asked in a bored tone, already convinced this would have nothing to do with their missing sister.

"In a way, yes," Iago answered with an arrogant smirk. Camilla's eyes widened in shock and Leo felt similarly surprised. Father was truly going to aid them in their search.

"You have received word of her location, then?" Xander asked, his only reaction to the news a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

"Yes, we have discovered she was taken by the Hoshidan royal family and is currently being held in Castle Shirasagi," Iago continued.

"How did you receive this information? Our spies have heard nothing of this," Camilla demanded, supspicion etched into her features as she watched Iago.

"Yes, well, King Garon possesses sources that you are not privy to, so I would advise you not to question his information," Iago spat, eyes flashing with malice at Camilla's disregard of his authority to speak on the king's behalf.

"Does Father have a plan to rescue her?" Leo asked impatiently. He was not in the mood for this conversation to be derailed by Iago's petty plays for power.

"Yes, King Garon is ordering a full scale invasion of Hoshido," Iago said, his smirk returning. Leo was stunned into silence, as were Xander and Camilla.

"How does Father expect us to invade Hoshido? The magic barrier around it still stands. We would have sent soldiers in the second Nicole went missing if we were able to," Camilla said in a defeated tone.

"King Garon has a plan for that as well. For now, he has ordered all of the royal children to travel to Fort Richelle and await the barrier's collapse. We shall hold a war council later and discuss your mission in greater detail then, when the king is in better health and can be present for the discussion," Iago explained.

Leo and his siblings agreed to meet later for the war council and swiftly exited the throne room, eager to discuss Iago's claims privately.

"Do you think he was telling the truth?" Camilla asked eagerly, the life seemingly returned to her eyes.

"I think Iago knows better than to lie about something this important, even if he is Father's lapdog," Leo responded, glancing warily down the hallway they were currently treading to check for guards.

"Then do you believe Father is telling the truth?"

"Camilla," Xander said sharply.

"What? You were there when I issued my report to Father about Nicole's capture. He didn't care; he barely reacted. Why would that suddenly change?" Camilla responded heatedly. Xander opened his mouth, probably to make a heated retort that would spawn a long, drawn out argument, and Leo decided that now would be a good time to diffuse the situation.

"We only have a few hours before the war council. We should try and find Elise," he said, hoping to avert the argument brewing between his siblings.

"You two go and prepare for the council. I'll grab Elise and fill her in on everything Iago told us," Camilla said.

"You know where Elise has been disappearing to?" Leo asked, surprised Camilla hadn't shared this information with them before.

"I have an idea," Camilla replied cryptically. Xander and Leo stood there, waiting for her to continue, but she turned away and began walking in the direction of her study.

Xander and Leo shrugged at each other, both of them turning to head in their separate directions. Xander headed in the direction of the training grounds, most likely in an attempt to practice his swordsmanship a bit more before the council. Leo headed towards his personal study, intending to pour over maps of the Hoshido.

This was something he could help with. He couldn't form a strategy to bring Nicole home. He couldn't plan for her reaction to the truth. But he could help conquer Hoshido; he could help find Nicole that way.

For the first time in days, Leo felt relief.

* * *

"Well, here we are, your old room," Mikoto said, gesturing grandly to the chambers she had led me to.

I took it in warily, not sure what my reaction should be. Should I feel relief at being, for lack of a better word, home? Should I mourn my lost childhood in Hoshido? Should I be afraid of these people who claimed to be my family?

It truly was a nice space. There were various games and toys scattered around the room, all painted in bright, cheerful colors. A small bed sat in a corner covered in half finished drawings. The entire room was brightly lit with large windows showing a spectacular view of one of Shirasagi's many gardens.

The room, while nice, also seemed to carry a certain melancholy. A shrine, perfectly preserved, honoring someone long thought dead.

"It's… nice," I finally said awkwardly.

"You don't like it," Mikoto stated with a hint of disappointment.

"I-it's not that," I assured her quickly. "It's just…"

"You don't quite believe that we're you're family yet," she said calmly. My eyes widened as I sputtered for a minute, taken aback by her statement.

"I-I don't…," I stuttered, grasping for anything to say.

"It's alright… it's only to be expected after everything that's happened," she said, smiling sadly.

"I… It's just… my entire childhood…," I trailed off, trying to formulate a response. Instead, we lapsed into silence for a few moments.

"Tell me about it," Mikoto said, sitting down on the bed.

"My childhood? What do you want to know?" I asked, wondering how much she truly wanted to hear about it.

"Everything, but if you want something more specific… what were the people like?" She asked, a glint of curiosity in her eyes.

"Well, there are my retainers. Gunter is… was… the oldest. He was an elderly man, a veteran of several rebellions, but he was still a fierce fighter despite his age. Perhaps his edge had been dulled by the years, but not nearly as much as he'd have you believe. He treated the rest of us as rambunctious grandchildren, and, similarly, we all looked up to him as a wise old grandfather," I remembered sadly, the sting of his death still too fresh to think of such things fondly.

"It sounds like he was a great man," Mother said, eyes softening at my use of past tense to describe Gunter. "Although, I am curious about your use of the term 'rambunctious'," she said, trying to lighten the mood with a small smile.

"Well, when Flora, Felicia, Jakob, and I were younger, we weren't always the most… cooperative," I said sheepishly. Mother merely raised an eyebrow and waited for me to continue. "I'll admit, as the grand tactician of our shenanigans, I was probably the worst."

"What kind of 'shenanigans' did you come up with?" She asked with an amused smile on her face.

"Well, there was this one time that we got in trouble for building a snow fort," I recalled.

"That doesn't sound too bad," Mother responded.

"It was summer…. and we built it in the kitchen," I admitted with a sheepish grin.

"How did you build a snow fort in summer?" She asked, mirth shining in her eyes.

"Flora and Felicia are from the Ice Tribe, so I suppose it would be more accurate to say we built an ice fort," I recalled fondly.

"How much trouble did you all get in?"

"More than I care to remember."

"So what about your other retainers? The ones closer in age to you?" She asked.

"Well, first there's Jakob. Out of all my retainers, I'd say that I'm the closest to him. He arrived at the Northern Fortress shortly after I did, so we came to rely on each other in those early years. He can be rather prickly to other people, but, deep down, he's a good person. He's also unfailingly loyal to those he thinks deserves it. Sure, he may have tried to talk me out of some of the schemes I came up with, but, if I truly decided to go through with it, he would always follow me. I remember one time in particular when he followed me right into a freezing pond."

"Goodness, do I even want to know?" Mikoto asked with a small, sarcastic smile on her face.

"Well… I had the brilliant idea to go ice skating far too early into the season and the pond wasn't completely frozen. I fell in, and Jakob dove in after to pull me out. I wasn't a strong swimmer, so he probably saved my life that day. We were both fine in the end, but we both got colds afterwards," I explained, guiltily remembering Jakob's illness because of my poorly conceived plan.

"He sounds like a very steadfast friend. What about the other two you mentioned, Flora and Felicia?" Mikoto prompted.

"Well, as I already told you, the twins are from the Ice Tribe. Felicia is extremely clumsy, which has always been an endless source of amusement for the rest of us. We even had to start using metal plates and glasses because she kept breaking the china. Despite this, she is always so unfailingly optimistic. She's also fiercely loyal. Through every shenanigan we've been caught enacting, she always stayed by my side. She's never left me to face a punishment alone, none of them have. Despite her optimism and loyalty, she doesn't handle criticism well. She's very sensitive about her clumsiness and takes almost any insult as a reference to that. Then there's Flora. She's more reserved than Felicia, but she's still a kindhearted person. She has a bit of an inferiority complex, and she constantly feels like she has to compete with Felicia. It's honestly a bit exasperating sometimes, listening to those two argue."

"What kinds of things did they argue about?" Mother asked.

"Everything. From important things like who was the better fighter to who could brush my hair the fastest," I said, rolling my eyes as I recalled some of their more ridiculous competitions.

"Who could brush your hair the fastest? How did they settle that one?"

"With a race," I winced as I remembered that particular night. "They practically ripped out half of my hair. Speed doesn't necessarily equate to gentleness."

"Well they certainly sound entertaining," she said with a small chuckle.

"Yeah, they can be exasperating at times, but they are like family to me," I responded a bit sadly as I wondered if I'd ever see them again.

"And… what about your Nohrian siblings?" Mikoto asked hesitantly.

"Do you really want to know?" I responded softly.

"I… want to know about your childhood. I want to know what kind of people you were surrounded by. Even if it's painful for me…. I want to hear about it."

"Well, if you're sure… I suppose I'll start with Elise, the youngest. If any of us are upset, she's the one that cheers us up. She's unfailingly optimistic, and, despite the darkness of Nohr, she never fails to be source of light for those she cares about. Out of all my siblings, she was the one that visited me the most in the Northern Fortress. When King Garon would allow it, we would have sleepovers and stay up late into the night telling each other stories. I would tell Elise tales I had read in the fortress's library, and she would tell me stories of life outside the fortress," I reminisced sadly, remembering those nights when I got to glimpse the outside world through Elise's eyes.

"Next there's Leo. He's the tactician of the family. He's incredibly smart and well versed in the magical arts. He can appear prickly and standoffish, but he's a really kind hearted person once you get to know him. Even with his siblings, he can be cold sometimes, but we've all learned to look past that. Also, despite him being younger than me, he's helped me with my studies the past few years. I never liked the tutors. They were always too stiff and formal, so Leo agreed to teach me instead. I was always grateful for that. However, that didn't stop me from teasing him mercilessly, as any self-respecting big sister would. He didn't just take it, though. Leo is as quick witted as he is book smart, so he was almost always ready with a sharp retort," I said, thinking back to my conversation with Leo about his collar. Was that only a few days ago?

"Those two were your younger siblings, correct? And the other two are older?" Mikoto asked, her expression unreadable. I nodded and continued with my stories.

"My next sibling is Camilla. She's the mother hen of the group, always looking out for us and always fiercely protective. Unfortunately, this coupled with her temper can cause her to act irrational when she's angry. I once heard a story from Elise about a guard who made her cry. I don't remember what he did, but Camilla was furious. She sparred with the guard and broke his leg. After the duel, she forbid any healers from helping him. A few days later, Elise herself went to heal the guard. Camilla later told me she regretted her actions, but, in her anger, she acted rashly. Despite her terrifying nature when her temper flares, she's a very sweet person to those she cares about. As I said before, she has a very motherly nature and is very affectionate to her siblings. Perhaps too affectionate considering she will still try to sing me to sleep occasionally," I told her, recalling the two sides of Camilla, the wrathful side she showed her enemies and the kind, motherly side she showed her loved ones.

"Finally, there's Xander. As the oldest, and the crown prince of Nohr, he was always the most responsible of us. He always felt the pressure of the crown, even when we were all younger. That pressure has dictated all of his actions for years. He rarely does anything without first considering how it will affect the kingdom. The only acception to this is his siblings. Like Camilla, he's fiercely protective of the rest of us. The only difference is that he isn't quite as rash as her. However, despite the fact that he's not as rash as she is, our safety is the only thing he is willing to ignore careful deliberation for. I remember one time when I got really sick at the Northern Fortress. It wasn't life threatening, but I was ill for over two weeks. When Xander first got word of it, he was in the middle of a war council. He abruptly ended the war council and rushed to the fortress immediately. He and the rest of my siblings refused to leave until I was better despite the physician's assurances that I would be fine. I later learned that they all got in trouble for this, Xander most of all because of his abrupt departure in the middle of the council. He tries so hard to appear like the perfect crown prince, and the only time his facade cracked was when one of us were threatened," I finished with a sad smile, remembering the night Xander came charging into my room in a panic and demanding to know if I was alright, and his refusal to leave after even with the threat of King Garon's wrath hanging over him.

"They all sound like… wonderful people. I can see why you are having trouble accepting my claims," Mikoto said with a tight smile, obviously pained by my praise of my siblings.

"I-I'm sorry. I accept that you are telling me the truth, but…"

"It is the truth itself you are having trouble accepting,"

"It's just… I spent twelve years of my life with them. How could it all have been a lie?"

"Maybe you weren't their sister by blood, but that doesn't mean it was all a lie. From what you've told me, it sounds like they truly did love you and think of you as a sister. As much as it pains me to say this, I am glad you had a family to act in our stead." She said, a certain pain in her eyes as she said this. It was the pain of having to admit that I had another family, that there were other people I considered brother and sister. People that had been there for the past twelve years of my life when she could not. It would have been easy for her to give into that pain and denounce any bond I shared with them, and I admired her all the more for crediting them with my care.

"Thank you," I whispered, thankful for her understanding.

"I will leave you with your thoughts. I believe this conversation has left both of us with a lot to think about. The castle grounds are open for you to explore. Feel free to wander as much as you'd like. If you would prefer some time alone I… we will understand, but if you would like to talk, we would be thrilled to show you around, tell you about your childhood… anything," she said giving me one last smile and leaving the room.

My mind wandered to my siblings, my Nohrian siblings, and I thought about what Mikoto said. What would I prefer? Would I prefer that they had lied about everything, that they had never cared about me? Or would I prefer that they did truly love me, and deal with the consequences of that love?

If they loved me… would they expect me to side with them?

It would certainly be easier if they had never truly cared for me. I would have no reason to go back to Nohr. There would be no decision for me to make. But… if they did love me… if they did want me to side with them… I would soon have to make a decision between my families.

Faced with the family I grew up with and the family I had been taken from… what would I do?

I gathered up the half finished drawings and laid down on the bed, pushing these troubling thoughts out of my mind. My exhaustion over the events of the past few days finally caught up with me as I sank into blissful oblivion.


	7. A Song for Bygone Days

**A/N: Okay, so one of the big problems I had with the game was the lack of interaction between the avatar and her Hoshidan family. The game uses the excuse that she hides away in her room, and that's always kind of bugged me. I think that, when you have to make the decision, it gives you much less of a reason to choose Hoshido because you have very few interactions with your Hoshidan family. I tried to fix that in this chapter and have Nicole do some bonding with her Hoshidan family so that her inner conflict feels more natural.**

 **I want to thank everyone that's reviewed/favorited/followed. I really appreciate the feedback! I'd also, once again, like to thank Cerenda for editing this for me.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

I stared in the mirror hanging on the wall of my room and repeated my mantra for the hundredth time.

 _You can do this. You can do this. You can do this._

After all, it was only dinner. How bad could it be?

About five minutes before, a servant had entered and delivered a message saying that dinner was about to be served. I knew that Queen Mikoto would never begrudge me for skipping it, but… I still felt obligated to go. If this truly was my family that I had been separated from for twelve years, how could I not go?

That didn't stop my stomach from churning nervously at the thought. I had already met most of my newfound siblings, but according to Hinoka, there were two I had yet to meet. Things had gone well so far. Ryoma, Hinoka, and Sakura accepted me with open arms, but would the others?

And even though I had been accepted by most of them, that didn't guarantee the conversation would go smoothly. What if they started asking questions I wasn't ready to answer? What if they were less accepting of my childhood than Mikoto had been?

All in all, there was a lot that could go wrong and little chance of everything going well. But… staying in my room wouldn't solve anything. I would have to face them eventually, and I didn't want them to become offended by acting like I was avoiding them.

Steeling myself, I turned away from the mirror, adjusted the white kimono I'd been given, and strode out of my room. Upon entering the hall, I was greeted by a pair of familiar faces keeping vigil outside my door.

"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show," Rinkah said with a raised eyebrow, her expression half relieved and half skeptical.

"Sorry, I was just getting ready," I apologized.

"Took you long enough," Rinkah smirked.

"Rinkah," Kaze said in a stern tone, rolling his eyes. "Lady Nicole, we are here to escort you to dinner. If that's what you want, that is," he added hastily.

"Yes, that's where I was headed," I assured him. Kaze beamed and Rinkah huffed.

We walked for a few minutes and soon approached a large set of doors guarded on either side by samurais.

"Well, here we are," Kaze said encouragingly. I stepped forward to knock, but paused when I heard familiar voices on the other side.

"Do you think she'll come?" Came a voice I recognized as Hinoka. Her tone contained a childlike excitement, and I smiled a bit as I remembered her overeager manner when she figured out who I was.

"Probably not," said another voice, one I didn't recognize.

"Takumi," Ryoma said in a stern tone.

"What? I'm just saying, she doesn't even remember us. Why would she come down?" Takumi defended. I thought back and briefly recalled Hinoka telling me about the two siblings I had yet to meet, Azura and Takumi. She had warned me then that Takumi could be hotheaded and that he would probably be the least accepting of my presence. It seemed her claims were true.

"We should not try and assume her actions. We don't know what she-," Ryoma began, but he was abruptly cut off by Takumi.

"Yes, we can't assume her actions because we _don't know her_ ," Takumi stated harshly. "For all we know, she could have been sent here to assassinate us all, and this little 'family dinner' would be the perfect time to-."

He stopped speaking as I knocked on the door, realizing I had been standing there awkwardly eavesdropping on their conversation for too long and unwilling to hear anymore of Takumi's statement.

There was a few moments of silence on the other side of the door before I heard a muffled "Come in". I glanced at Kaze one more time. He gave me one more reassuring smile only slightly marred by the grimace he had gained upon hearing the conversation going on inside the dining room.

I opened the door slowly and glanced cautiously at the faces inside. Mikoto and Ryoma both gave me soft smiles, a flicker of relief in their eyes that I decided to join them. Hinoka had a triumphant smile and kept glancing between me and Takumi. Takumi wore an expression somewhere between a scowl and a grimace, averting his eyes and seemingly ignoring me. Sakura gave me a shy smile and quickly looked away once she realized I'd noticed.

"H-hello," I said awkwardly, unsure where I should sit or what I should say.

"Ah, Nicole. I am happy to see you," Mikoto said, gesturing for me to sit across from her with a gentle smile.

Everyone but Takumi chimed in with various greetings. Hinoka elbowed Takumi in the ribs and he responded with a grudging "me too" before lapsing into sullen silence once more.

I flinched a little at Takumi's iciness. I understood his reservations. I was honestly surprised he was the only one that seemed to have them, but his suspicion still hurt.

I sat down between Hinoka and Sakura, my movements slow as I took in the room. Like most of Shirasagi's rooms, it had tall windows to let in as much sun as possible. It was decorated in Hoshido's royal colors of red and white, with golden banners hanging from the pillars around the room. A simple wooden table sat in the middle of the room, its legs practically buckling under the weight of all the food.

I was honestly a bit amazed at the feast stretched out before me. There were a few dishes I recognized, but most remained a mystery to me. There was a dazzling array of vegetables and fruit in every color, most of which I'm sure would never be able to grow in Nohrian soil. There were also numerous different meats dipped in sauces giving off the aroma of exotic spices.

Although it all looked amazing, I wasn't sure where to start. I knew I wouldn't be able to handle any spicy foods. I'd hated them ever since Felicia accidentally knocked over a jar of pepper flakes into Jakob's cooking once. I couldn't taste anything for days afterwards, and I have never been able to eat spicy foods since. I was also a notoriously picky eater, and I didn't want to offend my Hoshidan family because of that.

Hinoka, noticing my distress, was quick to help me.

"Why don't you let me fill your plate?" She suggested happily to me. "I still remember all of your favorites from when you were a kid, so I'll get those for you."

"Thanks," I said, grateful for Hinoka's interference. She handed me back my plate a few moments later laden with more food than I could eat in one sitting. I looked around for a fork so I could start eating and felt a flash of confusion when all I could find were two wooden sticks.

Chopsticks, that's what they were called. I remembered Leo telling me something about them once. Apparently, Hoshidans used them in place of forks… but how?

I tried to subtly glance at Hinoka to see how she did it. Hinoka, once again noticing my situation, began eating her meal slower, giving me a chance to study her movements. Hesitantly, I picked up my own chopsticks and began awkwardly trying to pick up what looked like a piece of chicken dipped in some sort of orange sauce. It took a few tries, but I eventually managed to get it in my mouth without dropping it.

I shyly glanced up and saw that everyone had noticed my pathetic attempts at using chopsticks. Mikoto, Ryoma, Hinoka, and Sakura all gave me kind smiles. Takumi, once again the notable exception, huffed impatiently, but otherwise said nothing.

"So, what do you think of the food?" Hinoka asked eagerly.

"It's really good. I've never tasted spices like these before," I responded, gesturing to the chicken.

"That's orange chicken. It used to be your favorite when you were younger," Ryoma explained.

"Y-you should try t-the rice dumplings next. T-they're really good," Sakura suggested, shyly focusing on her own food.

"Thanks Sakura," I said, gently trying to coax the shy girl to relax. It succeeded and she glanced up at me. I gave her a small smile that she reciprocated before turning red and focusing on her food again.

"I wish Azura was here to meet you," Hinoka said with a disappointed frown.

"Saizo told me Azura retired to her chambers earlier with a headache," Ryoma responded.

"I-I'll go check on her a-after dinner," Sakura promised. Ryoma gave Sakura a thankful smile, and we once again lapsed into contented silence.

"So, Nicole," Takumi began, shattering the peaceful silence that had descended. "What was it like growing up in Nohr?" He asked. I hesitated. Had any of the others asked, I would have readily answered, but Takumi made me nervous. He made the question seem like a trap.

"Well, I grew up in the Northern Fortress. It's a pretty isolated area, and I wasn't allowed to leave…," I began slowly, unsure how much I should reveal.

"Oh, you weren't allowed to leave? Then how, exactly, did you come to lead an attack on a Hoshidan fort?" Takumi asked with false curiosity masking the underlining malice behind the question. Beside me, I saw Hinoka tense. Mikoto and Ryoma froze and Sakura stared at Takumi with wide eyes.

"I was only recently allowed to leave after I bested Xander in a sparring match," I explained.

"Oh, so you regularly sparred with the crown prince of Nohr? Tell me, how close were you to the royals?" Takumi continued.

"I-I…"

"Takumi, this is not an interrogation!" Ryoma shouted, finally losing his temper.

"And why not? If she truly was raised alongside the Nohrian royals, she must have picked up on countless things that could help us! Weaknesses, tactics, battle formations, politics… the list is endless. If she truly is our sister and if her loyalties lie with us, she should be practically tripping over herself to tell us," Takumi ranted, his eyes narrowing as he stared Ryoma down.

"As for battle formations and tactics, I was taught by Nohrian tutors, but we never went beyond the basics. I would be of very little use to you in that regard." I said calmly, finally gathering my wits enough to defend myself. "I was also raised in an isolated fortress, so I no next to nothing about Nohrian politics. I could barely name all of the noble houses of Nohr. There is very little I could tell you about inner working of the court or which houses might be swayed to your cause."

"And weaknesses? Being raised alongside the Nohrian royals should have given you some insight into their weaknesses," Takumi responded.

I glanced away from him. I knew full well all the strengths and weaknesses of my Nohrian siblings, but I couldn't give him that information. They may have lied to me my entire life, but they had revealed these things to me in trust. How could I betray that?

"That's what I thought," Takumi spat, noticing my hesitation.

"Give her a break Takumi! Up until a few days ago, she believed them to be her siblings! Of course she would be hesitant to reveal all of their secrets," Hinoka shot back, rushing to my defense.

"Why are you so determined to defend her? This proves that she has at least some loyalty for her false family! Doesn't that concern you at all!" Takumi shouted at Hinoka.

"Years of trust cannot be broken in a single day. I don't believe we should hold it against her," Ryoma reasoned.

"So that's it then? None of you are willing to believe me?" Takumi demanded, searching each of his siblings faces in turn. When he didn't seem to find what he was looking for, he stood and stormed out of the room, slamming the door roughly behind him.

"I-I'm really s-sorry. Takumi can b-be a bit of a h-hothead," Sakura said apologetically after a few beats of silence.

"It's fine," I responded with a strained smile. In truth, I felt worse for him. It couldn't be easy for him, having the siblings he's known for years side with me over him. I briefly entertained the idea of going to find him later, but decided against it. I was probably the last person he wanted to see right now.

"Don't mind him Nicole. He's always been kind of impulsive. I remember this one time…," with that, Hinoka launched into a story of Takumi trying to ride a Kinshi, his hotheaded nature causing him to utterly fail in that regard.

And from that story, Ryoma remembered another. Then Sakura chimed in after him, which caused me to remember something from my time in the Northern Fortress.

We passed the rest of the night telling each other stories. I told them stories about my escapades during my time in Nohr that brought smiles to their faces, but also seemed to make them a little sad. Sakura told heartwarming stories about our family, tales of love and camaraderie that reminded me of my siblings in Nohr. Hinoka told tales of our adventures during our childhood that made me dearly wish I could remember my years in Hoshido. Ryoma told me stories about my real father, King Sumeragi, that stirred my bitter feelings towards King Garon all the more. And Mikoto told embarrassing stories about all of my siblings that had me in stitches by the time she was finished, much to their displeasure.

It was… nice. Of course, I'd had family dinners with my Nohrian siblings, but it wasn't often that all of them could come. As the years went by, their visits became fewer and fewer, and it was almost impossible for them all to be there at the same time. The mood was also different. In Nohr, we always felt the lingering pressure of King Garon's expectation. We'd joke, we'd laugh, but in the back of our minds, we knew that it would never last.

In Hoshido, the mood was lighter, and I knew there would be another family dinner tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that. And if I wanted more time with my siblings, I could simply seek them out.

I didn't know what I would do; I didn't know what the future might bring. But for now, I was content to bond with my newfound siblings.

* * *

Takumi gripped his bow so hard it was liable to crack. He glared at the target at the opposite end of the archery range and proceeded to fire arrow after arrow into it, unsuccessfully attempting to burn of some lingering aggression.

Why would no one listen to him?

He had been very vocal in his suspicions of Nicole, but they had gone completely ignored by his family. Mikoto had been caught up in her own little world ever since Nicole's return, oblivious to everything and everyone that wasn't her precious daughter. Ryoma just expressed disapproval at his hesitancy and would sternly admonish him for voicing his concern. Hinoka, like Mikoto, was completely oblivious to anything but her own happiness. She was ecstatic, happier than Takumi could ever have made her, and she refused to hear anything negative about their newfound sister. Sakura, though she didn't remember Nicole like the others, already approved of her and accepted her as their sister. Even if she shared his suspicions, she wasn't confrontational. She never would have voiced anything negative about Nicole.

He could have accepted all of this if they had given him proof that Nicole was his sister, or even if they just _listened_ to him. Instead, his arguments had gone ignored, and Takumi's suspicions were driven to the point of bitterness. Was that all it took for them all to completely disregard him: one new sibling? Was he so easily replaced?

He reached for another arrow and cursed as he realized every single one was currently embedded in the distant target, which now resembled a pin cushion.

"Takumi?" Came a stern voice from the doorway. He winced, turning to Ryoma with a sheepish expression.

"Hello, brother. What brings you out here so late?" Takumi asked, trying his best to appear innocent.

"I just ended a war council. However, I believe the more interesting question is what brings _you_ out here so late?" Ryoma retorted, raising an eyebrow.

"I couldn't sleep," Takumi answered in a defensive tone. He was technically telling the truth, just not the _whole_ truth.

"Is it your nightmares again?" Ryoma asked, eyes softening in sympathy. It made Takumi's blood boil.

"Maybe I'm having a hard time sleeping when I could potentially be murdered in my sleep," he shot back heatedly. Ryoma's eyes immediately hardened, and Takumi prepared himself for a lengthy lecture. Instead, the fight seemed to drain from Ryoma's face as he let out a weary sigh.

"I just don't understand why you refuse to accept her," Ryoma stated.

"Why? Are you kidding me? She was raised by Nohrian royalty for years! She attacked Fort Shimoga and you expect me to trust her after that!" Takumi exploded. There was nothing to distract Ryoma now; he would have no choice but to listen to his words.

"She had little choice in who she was raised by. We cannot hold her accountable for that. Also, during the attack on the fort, she put herself in harm's way to avoid conflict," Ryoma explained calmly, though Takumi could tell he was starting to become annoyed.

"You are missing the point! Though she may have had little choice in who she was raised by, that doesn't mean she wasn't influenced by them! Who knows what kind of Nohrian propaganda they filled her head with. I don't want to be the odd man out here, but I feel that _someone_ has to maintain an appropriate level of caution," Takumi shouted indignantly.

"You don't have to let go of your concerns, but could you at least try and act civil towards her? For the gods' sakes, she's our missing sister and you haven't said a kind word to her since she got here!" Ryoma finally exploded.

"And what was I supposed to say! 'Hi sister that I don't remember, it's great to see you again. Hope your imprisonment wasn't too hard on you,'" Takumi huffed.

"Say that you are happy to see her, or that you hope you can act like true siblings in time, or _anything_ but the constant accusations you've been hurling at her," Ryoma shot back.

"Well, I'm sorry that I don't want to waste my affections on someone who will only stay long enough to break our hearts."

"Takumi…. I wish you could remember the days when our family was whole. I think that would have changed your opinion of her," Ryoma said with a sigh.

"Why?" Takumi asked.

"You don't remember, but when Nicole was younger… she was an integral part of the family. She was always ready with a kind word and she was so happy. It wasn't an overbearing, peppy sort of cheer. It was the steady, warm kind of happy. The kind of happiness that brings contentment to those around her. They say that in every family, different members play different roles. If that's true… Nicole was the joy," Ryoma tried to explain.

"And what was I?" Takumi demanded. "What were you? What was Hinoka? If Nicole was the joy, what was left for the rest of us?"

"You were the devil, according to the nursemaids," Ryoma said with a hesitant smile. "Mother and Father were the pillars of strength, I was the overeager one, and Hinoka was the spirited one. Sakura was too young to be much more than the baby of the family at the time."

"Great, you were all amazing and I was the devil," Takumi responded, a small smile appearing despite his best efforts to conceal it. He couldn't help it. The jab had been so unexpected amidst their serious discussion that he couldn't help but smirk a bit.

"I can't say I disagreed with them. You used to get into so much trouble. It didn't matter what kind of crib we put you in, you'd always find your way out of it. And the trouble you would cause when you were free…," Ryoma remembered fondly, smiling fully now. Takumi let out a relieved laugh as he felt the tension between him and his brother fade away.

"What do we do?" Takumi asked, sobering slightly as he realized a few jokes wouldn't rectify their situation.

"I don't know," Ryoma admitted. "I'll make you a deal. I'll talk to Mother about asking Nicole to sit on the throne of truth, and you give Nicole a chance. Try talking to her or…. something," he finished lamely.

"How does that help us determine whether or not she is loyal to Nohr?" Takumi asked.

"I'll have Mother ask her while she is sitting on the throne of truth. She won't be able to lie then," Ryoma grudgingly promised.

"Alright, if you're willing to make sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she bears us no ill will, then I'm willing to give her a chance," Takumi acquiesced.

As he and Ryoma walked back inside the castle, Takumi could still feel a few doubts whispering to him. He pushed it out of his mind, though. He had made a deal with Ryoma. His brother would ensure Nicole did not possess any ill intentions towards their family.

And he would give her a chance.

* * *

I gradually became aware of a gentle hand shaking my shoulder, and I felt a flash of despair. The bed I was sleeping in was so warm, and it seemed as if I had only closed my eyes moments ago. Couldn't the person responsible for this intrusion leave me alone for awhile?

"Five more minutes," I mumbled sleepily, shaking the hand off my shoulder and burying my head under the blanket.

"N-Nicole… you said 'f-five more minutes' an hour a-ago," I heard Sakura stutter. I searched my recollection and could briefly recall another hazy interaction before I had fallen asleep again.

"Did I say minutes? I meant hours," I muttered, pulling a pillow over my eyes to block out the accursed sunlight streaming in through the windows.

I heard Sakura leave and sighed in contentment. I rolled over and settled into a comfortable spot, trying to doze off again. I had once again felt sleep begin to pull at the edge of my consciousness when a glass of ice cold water was splashed on me.

"Gah!" I shrieked, my eyes flying open as horrible memories of Flora and Felicia's ice magic flooded my mind.

"Rise and shine!" Hinoka declared in a cheery tone, the empty glass in her hand revealing her to be the culprit.

"What? Why would you do that?" I sputtered, jumping out of bed and staring at her.

"W-well, y-you weren't waking up, s-so…," Sakura shyly trailed off.

"So, she requested reinforcements!" Hinoka finished with a mischievous smirk.

"I-I didn't know you were g-going to throw water on her!" Sakura defended with a horrified look.

"Is everyone okay? I heard shrieking!" Ryoma asked worriedly, charging into the room with his hand on the hilt of his sword. He glanced at each of us in turn, his eyes focusing on the empty cup in Hinoka's hand and my soaking wet appearance.

He let out a deep, rumbling laugh and clutched the door frame for support. Hinoka joined in with a snort of her own, and even Sakura let out a giggle.

"Hey! This is not funny!" I demanded, but even I couldn't resist the urge to smile, which only made them laugh harder.

"I see you're still as hard to wake up now as when you were a baby," Ryoma finally said after he caught his breath.

"Come on! Hurry up and get dressed," Hinoka ordered, shooing Ryoma and Sakura out of the room.

"What's the rush?" I asked.

"Sakura and I are going to give you a tour of Castle Shirasagi. You've already slept most of the morning away, so we should try to hurry," Hinoka explained, shutting the door behind her and leaving me alone.

I quickly changed into another kimono, my fingers clumsy as I fumbled with it. I felt a stirring of excitement. I'd wanted to explore Shirasagi since I arrived, but fear of getting lost had kept me mostly to my room. A guided tour with my sisters sounded like an interesting way to spend the day.

"You ready?" Hinoka asked as I exited the room. At my nod, she turned to Sakura. "Okay, we'll start in the East wing and make our way towards the West wing."

"O-okay," Sakura affirmed, following closely behind Hinoka as she took the lead.

And so began our tour of Shirasagi. It was fascinating. Every room seemed to be filled with history whether it was a tragic tale, an ancient artifact, or just some quirky story from our childhood.

A gallery in the west wing was the site of an assassination attempt hundreds of years ago. According to Hinoka, the retainer that saved the princess proposed afterwards and the two later become two of the most beloved rulers Hoshido had ever known.

A study in the upper halls contained an elaborate vase that was said to contain the ashes of a dragon. The elaborate gold script decorating the outside was written in ancient Hoshidan. When I asked Hinoka what it said, she told me the rough translation was " _Here lies our ancient foe. Betrayed by man and then brought low."_

A garden in the east wing housed a tiny pond that I supposedly pushed Ryoma into when I was a young. She laughed as she regaled me with the time I toddled up to him and shoved him just hard enough to send him tumbling into the water.

The castle was rich with history, and Sakura and Hinoka seemed to know every bit of it. There were, of course, places that I didn't have much interest in, but other rooms more than made up for it. Rooms such as the most recent one Hinoka and Sakura showed me.

"Wow," I breathed, my eyes widening at the dazzling display of instruments stretched out before me.

"This is the music room. We have pretty much every kind of instrument you could imagine here, from Nohrian to Hoshidan, Nestran to Cyrkensian," Hinoka declared grandly with a sweeping gesture around the room.

"Do either of you play an instrument?" I asked as I flitted from instrument to instrument, examining each one before my eyes excitedly landed on the piano.

"I-I play the k-koto. It's a H-Hoshidan stringed instrument," Sakura said with a furious blush.

"I was never very musically inclined, but you should really hear Sakura play sometime," Hinoka responded eagerly. Sakura blushed and mumbled something along the lines of 'too many people' before glancing back at me.

"D-do you play any instruments?" Sakura asked with curious eyes.

"I play the piano," I answered, brushing my fingers along the instrument and pushing a few keys experimentally.

"You should play something!" Hinoka said eagerly.

"I-I don't know…," I felt my protests die on my lips as I saw their pleading expressions. I sighed in defeat as I focused on Sakura's puppy dog eyes. "Alright."

I sat down on the bench, my hands going to their proper places for the start of the song, and began to play.

The piece began soft and slow, filled with melancholy and an undercurrent of anger. I sat there, pouring my violent emotions from the past few days into the music, my fingers flying over the keys as I intertwined my sorrow with the somber nature of the song. Then the tempo changed, it began going faster and faster, the misery prevalent in the piece swelling, a brewing storm about to be unleashed. The anger becoming more and more apparent. Then it slowed once more, the eye of the storm, a sweet reminder of happier days, before reaching the climax, the zenith of misery. It's dramatic finish thrummed with sadness before slowly fading away. An yet, through it all, no matter how powerful the despair in the piece became, it held a kernel of hope. A small beacon of light in the otherwise dark music.

I sat, holding the last lonely note, before finally withdrawing my fingers from the piano. I turned Hinoka and Sakura as I felt my face flush. I hadn't meant to get so carried away in the music.

"Where did you learn to play like that?" Hinoka demanded, gaping at me.

"I-it was really l-lovely," Sakura said.

"I learned to play while I was in Nohr. Most ladies of the court play at least one instrument, and I chose piano," I explained. During my early days in the fortress, I'd loved banging away on the keys in an attempt to pass the time. When I was told I needed to learn to play some sort of instrument, I jumped at the chance.

"Why didn't you say something before?" Hinoka asked.

"I suppose it just never came up in conversation," I answered lamely. In truth, I hadn't thought about the piano at all these past few weeks. I loved playing it and wasn't half bad, but I never really practiced around my siblings. Xander always preferred sparring when he visited, Leo liked to focus on our studies, and Elise always wanted to play games. Camilla was the only one who really seemed to enjoy listening, but I was always hesitant to do so. She was a rather vocal audience, constantly interrupting my playing to critique me. I appreciated the thought, but it tended to get old really fast.

"Well, I hope you're ready for Sakura to constantly bug you to play," Hinoka teased.

"I-I would never…," Sakura trailed off, her face turning crimson.

"Seriously, you should see how much she bothers Azura," Hinoka continued with a small smile, softly elbowing Sakura to let her know she was joking.

"A-azura l-likes to sing," Sakura explained upon seeing my confused expression.

I nodded, feeling another flash of curiosity as I wondered about this elusive sister.

"Where to next?" I asked.

"The dining room, I'm hungry," Hinoka announced, spinning on her heel and exiting the room.

I was a bit sad to leave the music room, especially the piano inside, but I quickly followed after. We passed countless rooms we had yet to explore and I began to despair that I would never be able to find my way around. Directions had never been my strong suit.

"Here we are," Hinoka declared, throwing open the doors of the dining room from last night. I was taken aback by the feast spread out inside. It rivaled the one from last night. I had thought that it was just a celebratory dinner; a feast to honor my return, but could it be that such feasts were normal in Hoshido?

I thought back to Nohr and the harsh winters that could leave even the royal reserves barren. It wasn't uncommon for nobles to feel the slight discomfort of not having enough to eat, and starvation was all too prevalent amongst the peasantry.

Looking at all the food spread out before us, I felt a small twinge of discomfort. Was Hoshido truly so abundant that it could afford such a waste of food?

"Hinoka… how plentiful are Hoshidan crops?" I asked hesitantly.

"Hoshido boasts some of the most fertile land on the continent. Why do you ask?" She said, filling her plate with more food than a Nohrian peasant would eat in days.

"Have you ever considered… trading with Nohr?" I asked slowly, trying to gauge their reactions. Hinoka froze, her food halfway to her mouth as she gaped at me. Sakura stared at me with wide eyes.

"U-um… w-why do y-you ask?" Sakura asked hesitantly, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence that had descended after my question.

"Well, it's just… Nohr is going through a famine, and…," I trailed off awkwardly upon seeing Hinoka glare at the table.

"And all Nohrians think we're horrible shrews that hoard over half the continents food," she exclaimed bitterly.

"No! It's just-"

"Do you want to know what happened the last time we tried to trade with Nohr? A delegate traveled to Cheve to renegotiate the terms of the trade agreement in an attempt to stem the animosity between our countries. The trip ended with Father dead and you a hostage, so you'll have to forgive us for being hesitant to attempt another trade deal," Hinoka said bitterly.

"I-I'm sorry."

"Don't be, you didn't know," Hinoka responded, letting out a sigh and giving me a strained smile.

"Is there truly no way to end the hostilities between Nohr and Hoshido? I understand your reservations, but the people of Nohr are still dying," I persisted despite feeling a flash of guilt for bringing up unpleasant memories. Hinoka paused, trying to formulate a response, and I worried I might have pushed her too far.

"They say don't bite the hand that feeds you, but King Garon took it a step further than that. When we stuck out our hand for him, he chopped it off. We're not exactly eager to expose our necks," she eventually answered.

"But could you try getting it to the people directly? King Garon might lose the support of the people if you were to do that."

"We've tried, but it's hard to do unless the king authorizes it. Any merchants we send are attacked on sight and executed. The sea route is similarly too dangerous, and even the neutral countries aren't completely safe anymore."

"W-We'd like t-to help, but w-without King Garon's c-cooperation…," Sakura tried to explain.

I nodded, and we moved on to more pleasant topics of conversation. However, in the back of my mind, I couldn't shake Hinoka's words. Hoshido wouldn't trade because of the incident in Cheve twelve years ago. Nohrians wanted to conquer Hoshido to end the famine that claimed the lives of so many. Was either side truly wrong? Was either side truly right?

I didn't know, but as I laughed and chatted with my sister, I couldn't shake the dark thoughts that persisted in wake of Hinoka's revelation.

* * *

Iago's eye twitched as he angrily stalked back to his study, murderous thoughts running through his head as he thought of the war council. Those brats, _those insolent, horrid brats_ , had questioned every carefully prepared plan he created. They had second guessed him at every turn, as if _they_ were the king's most trusted advisor. As if _they_ were Nohr's grand tactician.

He arrived at his study and sent the door crashing into the wall as he shoved the door open. The beakers on a nearby table rattled as the door slammed shut once more.

Iago glanced around, eyeing the study with disdain. Every inch of the place was cluttered with beakers, notebooks, and tomes. There was hardly a clear surface anywhere. The only exception was a small table in the center of the room that held a single crystal ball.

He went to the table and sank down into a chair, muttering an incantation to the crystal ball. He knew it was risky. He knew that, should anyone happen to glance at Ganglari, they would see an eye opening on the hilt of Nicole's sword, but he didn't care. He _had_ to know how their plan was progressing.

The eye opened and Iago could see a child's room flicker into view in the crystal ball. He frowned, wondering if she had left it behind and started to worry. If she never took it with her, how would they enact their plan?

His fears abated, however, once she walked into view. Iago smiled cruelly as he noticed she was not alone. The Hoshidan queen was with her, and Iago felt his hands twitch at his side, begging to perform the spell that trigger an explosion.

It would be so easy. In one fell swoop, he would eliminate the pesky "Nohrian princess" and the meddling queen. The barrier would come crashing down, and Nohrian troops would storm the castle and kill any Hoshidan royalty left.

He hesitated, his mind warning him of the consequences that would surely follow such an action. King Garon would be furious for prematurely enacting the plan. Iago was not supposed to trigger the explosion until they received a signal from a spy King Garon had somehow smuggled into Hoshido. It would happen at a time much more opportune than this, when every single royal could be eliminated along with as many bystanders as possible.

Iago calmed himself. Waiting would bring a much sweeter revenge than impulsively performing the spell. He had a score to settle with the Hoshidans, and killing as many as possible in one fell swoop would make it all the more satisfying.

Maybe then he could finally stop mourning the sister he had lost to Hoshidan blades.

His fists clenched as he thought of his sweet, gentle sister. A healer of unparalleled caliber reduced to nothing more than another casualty in a fool's war. He hated the Hoshidans for her death, he hated their constant preaching of peace and love when they had murdered a woman who embodied those ideals.

Without her guardianship, Iago had become little more than a street rat, but he hadn't let that stop him. Through deception and underhanded methods, he had clawed his way through the army's ranks until he had achieved a coveted position at King Garon's side. From there, he could help lay waste to the country that had killed his sister. He would make them pay, and then…

And then he would turn his attention to the Nohrian royal family. The people who had shoved a tome in a healer's hands and sent her off to die in a pointless war.

Iago smiled with a cruel glint in his eyes as watched the false princess and the hypocrite queen. For now, he would continue pretending to be the king's lapdog. But eventually…

Eventually, the royal families of both nations would pay for what they had done.

* * *

My bones ached, exhaustion tugging down on them and begging me to sleep. But my mind was too awake, swirling with confused thoughts. I kept replaying what Sakura had said, about Hoshido and Nohr, about why Hoshido refused to trade with Nohr.

Nohr and its people suffered every day because of the embargo, and it troubled me to see Hoshido's abundance while Nohr endured such a famine. But at the same time… the last time Hoshido attempted trade, it had ended with a dead king and a missing princess. How could they risk negotiations again when it had gone so wrong the last time?

I had decided a long walk around the castle grounds might help clear my head, but it seemed to only make it worse, allowing me a greater space to pace while my mind pondered such an impossible question.

A distant part of me was worried at how far I was wandering from the palace, but it was easily swallowed by my other thoughts.

My worries prompted my feet to go faster and faster until I realized I was practically sprinting. Too bad I couldn't outrun unpleasant thoughts.

I took a deep breath of the cool evening air as I tried to forcibly shove my musings away. I instead tried to focus on the scenery. The tamed, beautiful gardens of Shirasagi were beginning to give way to a wilder, forested area, and I marveled at the lush green of the trees.

I was just about to turn back, fearful of how far I had run from the castle, when I heard someone singing.

" _You are the ocean's grey waves"_

I was instantly mesmerized. The woman's voice was lovely, and I was overwhelmingly curious about the song she was singing. Living in the Northern Fortress, I'd only been exposed to a limited selection of music, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested in learning more Hoshidan music.

I set off in the direction of the song and eventually stumbled upon a pond concealed within the forested area. The source of the music was a woman with long blue hair standing on a dock. Her voice echoed through the clearing as she slowly stepped forward and gracefully waved her arms in time with the song.

" _Destined to seek_

 _Life beyond the shore_

 _Just out of reach_

 _Yet the waters ever change_

 _Flowing like time_

 _The path is yours to climb"_

She held out the last note, and I stepped forward to compliment her on her beautiful singing. I winced as my foot came down on a branch. The singer whirled around, eyes wary as she cautiously watched me.

Now that she faced me, I could see her features. She was actually quite pretty, with piercing gold eyes and long blue hair framing delicate features.

"I-I'm sorry," I apologized with a blush, embarrassed at having been caught eavesdropping.

"No need to apologize," she said with a gently voice, eyes softening as she stepped closer to me.

"Your singing was beautiful. It was such a lovely song," I complimented. She smiled at me, and her eyes widened as she took in my features.

"You are Nicole," she stated.

"Um, yes. And you are?" I asked, feeling a bit awkward. How had she known me?

"I am Azura," she answered.

"Oh, you're my sister," I said happily, excited I had finally met my elusive sibling.

"Sister? Is that what they told you?" Azura asked with a surprised yet pleased expression.

"Are you not my sister?" I asked, confused by the surprise she had shown. She paused for a moment, seemingly debating something before responding.

"I suppose you could say I am in a similar situation to you, though opposite. You are a Hoshidan princess taken by Nohrians. I am a Nohrian princess taken by Hoshidans," she explained.

"What?" I demanded. Everyone here had seemed so kind and peaceful, and yet they had kidnapped Azura in retribution. _Mikoto_ had kidnapped Azura in retribution.

"I can see what you are thinking, and I fear I have given you the wrong impression. Queen Mikoto's strategist, Yukimura, was charged with retrieving you from Nohr. He received word that a someone important was being housed in a fortress near the border. It was…. more of an accident than anything else that I was taken," she explained.

"But still… they should have tried harder to get you home. I'm so sorry," I said, feeling a bit of anger for Azura's sake.

"Perhaps they should have tried harder to rectify their mistake, but I've never held it against them. I've always been happy here," she said soothingly.

"Don't you miss our- your- siblings?" I asked curiously.

"I was never really close with them. I was an outcast amongst the nobility, so most did not want to associate with me. It's hard to miss someone you never knew," she replied.

I was speechless for a moment. How had I never heard of Azura before? Surely there should have been at least some mention of her. And my siblings… had they really turned their backs on her?

"You seem surprised," she observed.

"I grew up with the royal family. It just doesn't sound like something they would do," I explained.

"Hmm, well perhaps the court has simply changed since I left. Or maybe you were unaware of its darker side," she reasoned.

"Perhaps," I responded, though it still troubled me.

"So Nicole, what are you going to do," Azura asked, a glint of curiosity in her eyes.

"About?" I said, staring at her in confusion.

"About all of this. About your birthright, about the place you've called home for years. When the time comes to choose, what will you do?" Azura elaborated.

I was taken aback by the directness of her question. I was also nervous about how she would react to my answer. Could I trust her? She was in a similar situation to me, but that didn't mean she would accept my answer.

"I-I…."

"Please, don't feel the need to conceal your answer. If I were to return to Nohr, I sincerely doubt I would wish to stay. I would likely escape to Hoshido at the earliest opportunity," she said in a soothing tone.

"I don't know," I finally answered earnestly. "I have family in both countries. Given the choice, I don't know who I would choose."

She nodded, seemingly satisfied with my answer and glanced at the sky. "It is nearing nightfall. We should head back."

"You go on ahead. I'd like to stay here and clear my thoughts for awhile. It was nice meeting you."

"The pleasure was mine. I hope you find the answers you are looking for," she said gently with a soft, pitying smile.

Thanks," I replied, sinking down to rest at the edge of the pond.

I still found myself there hours later, when the moon was high in the sky, no closer to answering such an impossible enigma than I was during my conversation with Azura. How could I choose between the family that both raised and betrayed me and the family I didn't know, but was coming to love?

Eventually I stood, my mind both weary and frustrated. I was no closer to an answer, and I realized sitting out here pondering it wasn't going to help. As I made my way back to the castle, I calmed myself with the knowledge that I wouldn't have to make this decision for a long time.

For now, I would catch up on lost time with my siblings.


	8. Sacrifice

**So, before we get started, I'd like to apologize for my extended absence. I had to take a short break from the story because my life decided to get really hectic. Then that short break turned into a long break, and I had trouble jumping back into the story. Hopefully I can get updates done more regularly now, but I want all of my readers to know that I intend to see this story through.**

 **Thanks to everyone that's stuck with me through this lengthly break. I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem.**

* * *

Lilith watched from a distance as Nicole was led out of her room by a maid, likely going to spend more time with her Hoshidan family.

 _Another opportunity lost,_ she thought gloomily to herself.

Lilith had silently watched over Nicole for a week, all the while working up the courage to face her. Many opportunities had come and gone, but Lilith still found herself hesitating. What would she say to her longtime friend? What _could_ she say in light of the truth that had been revealed?

Should Lilith apologize, or should she offer escape?

That was what Lilith truly feared, the choice. She knew Nicole would eventually have to make one, and she already grieved the suffering it would bring. She was in no rush to force the decision.

But she knew what was coming. Perhaps approaching her now would spare her pain later.

Despite this… Lilith couldn't bring herself to face Nicole. There were too many variables, too many options. Anything said in haste could easily jeopardize the already rapidly deteriorating situation. This matter had to be handled delicately, with a great deal of thought. It would be foolish of her to confront Nicole until she had worked out exactly what she wanted to say.

Until then, Lilith would continue watching Nicole from the shadows and pray that nothing ill came from her silence.

* * *

I fidgeted, my nervous energy getting the best of me as I waited outside the throne room. When the maid had entered my chambers a few minutes prior and asked me to come to the throne room at the queen's behest, I had been confused and a little apprehensive of her request. If my mother truly wished to see me, why would she want our conversation to be held in the throne room?

My silent musings were interrupted by the doors to the throne room being thrown open in a rather dramatic fashion. A woman with light purple hair stormed past me without so much as a glance in my direction. She wore a distressed look on her face, and her posture clearly expressed frustration.

I entered the throne room slowly, my nerves heightened by the sight of the angry woman, and saw Mother seated on the throne at the opposite end of the room. Her face was in her hands, and her shoulders were slumped. I felt a flash of worry for her. She'd always struck me as unfailingly calm and serene. To see her look so defeated… it unnerved me.

"Hello, M-mother," I said, still stumbling over the word.

"Ah, Nicole," she said, her spine straightening as she regained her serene disposition.

"Is now a bad time? Do you want me to come back later?" I asked cautiously.

"No, everything's fine," she reassured me with a strained smile.

"Um, the maid said there was something you wished to discuss with me," I prompted.

"Yes, there are a few things I wanted to talk to you about," she began eagerly, grasping at the chance to change the subject. "The first thing is… I have a favor to ask of you," Mikoto said hesitantly. I immediately tensed. Why did she sound guilty? "Would you mind… sitting on the throne?"

My mind blanked, confusion clouding my thoughts for a moment. Sit on the throne? Why would I sit on the throne? Sure, it was beautiful, made of ivory with elaborate etchings and colorful stones decorating the edges, but that didn't explain why she wanted me to sit on it.

Upon closer inspection, however, I began to notice something strange about the etchings. They were runes. It was hard to tell with the bright sunlight streaming in through the tall windows, but it almost appeared as though they were glowing softly.

"This is known as the Hoshidan Throne of Truth. It dispels enchantment and, well, shows one the truth," Mikoto explained upon seeing my confused expression.

"Do you not trust me?" I asked sadly. I could hardly blame her, but it still hurt.

"No it's not that. I just hoped that sitting on the throne might bring back your memories of your childhood. Perhaps if they were erased by Nohrian mages… the throne would bring them back. And… I know you still have some doubts about your birthright, and I thought this might dispel them," she explained.

My trepidation began to melt away as I stared at the throne. I felt a flicker of hope kindle in my chest as I stared at the thing that could finally, once and for all, answer some of the questions that had plagued me ever since I left Nohr.

While I accepted that Mikoto was telling me the truth, that didn't mean there weren't a few voices whispering lingering doubts in the back of my mind, voices that sounded suspiciously like my Nohrian siblings. But this throne… it could solve everything.

I took a few steps forward and halted, my feet faltering as I thought of my Nohrian siblings. These doubts I had, they were all I had connecting me to them besides childhood memories now steeped in suspicion and anger. Did I really want to cut away the last of these ties?

Mikoto winced at my hesitation, and I rushed to reassure her. "I'm sorry. It's not that I'm trying to hide anything, or that I don't want the truth revealed to me. It's just…"

"It's just hard to have the truth so plainly laid out to you?" Mikoto guessed, her eyes unreadable.

I glanced away from her, guilty at the pain my hesitation seemed to be causing her. I took a deep breath, steeling myself, and took another step forwards, intent on not faltering this time. However, before I could make it more than a few steps, I was startled by the sound of the doors opening behind me, and I stopped my slow march towards the throne once again as a man with blue hair and glasses perched on the end of his nose strode in.

"Your timing is impeccable as always, Yukimura," Mikoto said with a sigh, her shoulders slumping at the unexpected interruption.

"My apologies, Milady. I came here to remind you that the ceremony will soon begin," Yukimura said, wincing as he noticed the tense atmosphere in the room.

"Ah, yes, of course. Thank you Yukimura," Mikoto responded in a resigned tone before turning to me. "Nicole, you may not remember, but this is Yukimura. He is one of our most gifted strategists, and a close friend of the royal family."

I assessed Yukimura with a wary eye. According to Azura, this was the strategist that had been responsible for her capture. Did he regret his involvement with that, or was he simply more brutal than most Hoshidans?

"It is a pleasure to see you again, Princess Nicole. I was overjoyed to hear about your safe return," he said with a kind smile only marred by tired eyes.

My critical eyes could find nothing deceitful or false about his countenance, but I still resolved to watch him closely. I was loathe to repeat the incident with Hans', and I refused to encourage it by blindly trusting Yukimura.

"Nice to meet you… again," I said with a strained smile. "So, you mentioned something about a ceremony."

"That was the second thing I wished to discuss with you. I am holding a gathering in the square to announce your presence to the people. There have been rumors of a strange woman in Nohrian clothing gaining access to the palace. I wish to explain your presence here before these rumors go any farther," Mikoto explained, carefully watching my face to gauge my reaction.

"While we are setting up for the ceremony, I believe your siblings have arranged a tour of the capital for you in the meantime," Yukimura interjected, a clear dismissal.

"Okay, I suppose I'll go meet up with them," I said, turning to exit the throne room. I paused after a few steps and glanced over my shoulder once more. "After the ceremony… I would appreciate continuing the conversation we were having."

Mikoto's eyes flickered with some emotion, but it was so brief that I couldn't decipher its meaning. She nodded once, giving me a hesitant smile before turning to fully face Yukimura.

I sighed as I turned again, apprehension and excitement churning in my stomach in equal measure. I didn't know what this ceremony or the conversation that was sure to follow would bring, but I was worried by how fast things seemed to be progressing. It felt like the situation was rapidly slipping out of my control, each event taking me a step further away from Nohr. When did I cross that invisible point of no return?

At what point was my choice already made?

* * *

Takumi stood with the rest of his siblings as they waited for Nicole to return. While Azura, Hinoka, and Sakura chatted comfortably, he stood in brooding silence, unsure how he would approach the upcoming tour.

Should he approach her cheerfully? With how he had treated her the past few days, Takumi was unsure how she would react to a suddenly welcoming attitude. Should he ignore her? No, his deal with Ryoma guaranteed _some_ interaction with her. Being rude and standoffish was similarly out of the question.

As Takumi's nervous musings continued circling through his head, the door to the throne room opened and Nicole emerged. Hinoka, Sakura, and Azura rushed to Nicole and chimed in with various greetings, and Takumi slowly approached his, for lack of a better word, sisters.

"H-hello Nicole," Takumi greeted with a strained smile.

The four girls whipped around to stare at him with shock, Hinoka's jaw hanging open a bit. Nicole was the first to recover as she gave him a small smile in return. "Hi Takumi!" She responded brightly, not even a flicker of suspicion or wariness clouding her features as they did the woman behind her.

"Well, let's get going," Takumi abruptly said, spinning on his heal in an attempt to escape both the awkward situation as well as the distrustful glances of his sisters.

The four girls scrambled to follow after him and soon resumed their excited chatter as they exited the palace. Takumi listened intently, trying to find some place to smoothly insert himself into the conversation without drawing too much attention to his efforts.

"The town is so bright and lively!" Nicole gushed as they exited the palace grounds and entered Shirasagi castle town.

"W-we're entering the m-market district now. I-it's one of the b-busiest areas in t-the capital," Sakura explained, struggling to keep up with Nicole's enthusiasm.

"You can find practically anything here," Hinoka continued, her eyes sparkling at Nicole's eagerness to explore.

"Are you hungry? You can find some delicious food vendors here," Azura encouraged, more amused at Nicole's reaction to the square than anything.

Personally, Takumi didn't see what was so exciting about the market. Perhaps the markets in Nohr weren't bursting with bright colors that made even Takumi's eyes water at times, but this wasn't exactly what Takumi would call _lively._ It was actually a slower day at the market, and many civilians were probably already gathering at the Dawn Dragon's statue for Mikoto's speech.

Takumi continued waiting for some opportunity to insert himself into the conversation, but he couldn't find one. The conversation seemed fixed on holding Nicole's hand through the simple process of walking through town. Finally, he grew tired of waiting for the conversation to switch towards something else and decided to broach a topic he'd been curious about ever since he'd seen Nicole's strange attire this morning.

"So Nicole, why do you have that Nohrian sword with you?" Takumi asked, trying his best to keep his voice from sounding accusatory. Apparently it didn't work.

"Takumi," Hinoka said in a warning tone as she shot him a glare.

"What? I'm just asking! It kind of stands out," he defended. He was right, the giant, dark sword _did_ stand out against the bright atmosphere of the town and Nicole's pale kimono.

"It's fine, Hinoka," Nicole began. "I suppose I just felt better having a weapon on me, and this is the only one I have."

"What, do you feel threatened in the heart of the Hoshidan capital?" Takumi questioned, internally wincing as he realized that this also sounded like an accusation.

"It's just… this is an unfamiliar area to me, so…" Nicole trailed off, clearly uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. As she ducked her head, Takumi could see the dark look Hinoka directed at him.

"O-oh, there's t-the square. L-let's go find M-mother," Sakura interjected, grasping Nicole's arm and pulling her in the direction of the small crowd that had begun gathering. Azura quickly followed with an expressionless glance back at Takumi that conveyed her disapproval far better than Hinoka's glare.

Takumi made a move to follow them when he felt a tug on his arm. A glance back showed him Hinoka gesturing to a small alley tucked between two vendors in the street. He suppressed a groan as he prepared for the lecture Hinoka was sure to give him. As he predicted, as soon as the voices of the crowd had faded, Hinoka whirled to face him.

"Look, I get that you have your reservations about her, but could you try not to antagonize her so much?" Hinoka pleaded, obviously exercising all of her patience in an effort to avoid a screaming match.

"I _am_ trying!" Takumi defended with an indignant huff.

"Then why does everything you say to her sound like an accusation?" Hinoka shot back, frustration quickly burning away whatever patience she'd mustered.

"For someone lecturing me about unfair accusations, you sure are making quite a few of them yourself," Takumi shot back, his own temper rising up to meet his sister's. Hinoka seemed to deflate a little, some of the righteous anger leaving her eyes at his harsh words.

"Look, Takumi… I'm not trying to disregard your concerns… or force you to unconditionally love someone you just met. I just… I've always had this image of what our reunion with Nicole would be like. We'd rescue her from Nohr and our family would be happy and whole just like it used to be. Already this image is partially ruined by the feelings she still has for her false Nohrian family. I don't blame her for what was purposefully kept from her, but I resent the situation it's placed all of us in. Now, the only part of that dream I can salvage is the part where, eventually, we regain the happy family we lost."

"Hinoka… even if Nicole survived the night Father died, _our_ Nicole still died along with him. Expecting her to be the same person she was all those years ago, asking her to pretend she never grew up with another family… that's not fair to us _or_ her, especially her," Takumi responded with a resigned sigh, his own anger draining away as they reached the heart of the matter.

"I'm not asking her to forget or pretend! I'm just asking her to, someday, move on," Hinoka defended, her expression pleading with Takumi to understand her motives. Takumi watched his sister in silence for a moment before giving another sigh.

"That kind of reasoning will drive her away even faster that my accusations," Takumi quietly told her before spinning on his heel and joining the ever growing crowd around the statue of the Dawn Dragon.

He didn't need to look back to know that Hinoka wasn't following him. His words, though true, likely cut her deeply, but someone had to open her eyes to the harsh truth of the situation. Nicole would have to come to her own decision about where her loyalties lied without any influence on their part. She was still too hesitant around them. Any advice could be seen as an unwelcome push more likely to shove her back in the direction of Nohr.

Not for the first time, Takumi wondered if all this trouble and heartache was really worth it. Even if she wasn't a spy, even if she was as innocent and naive as she would have them believe, it might have been easier for all of them if Nicole had simply stayed missing.

He was pulled from his thoughts by the cheers of the crowd as Mikoto made her appearance at the foot of the Dawn Dragon's statue. Nicole stood slightly off to the side with Sakura and Azura as she nervously fidgeted with the ends of her hair.

Takumi edged towards the central area where Mikoto had just begun addressing the people and prepared to tune out the lengthy speech that was sure to follow gushing about how _great_ it was to have Nicole back, but he froze when he noticed something strange. Nicole's sword, the creepy Nohrian blade, had seemingly come… _alive._ That was the only word he could think of for it. An eye had opened in the blade's hilt, and it gave off a malevolent, dark aura that caused it to start vibrating. Nicole seemed to notice it too, as she glanced at the blade with confusion.

Takumi began sprinting towards Nicole, intent on reaching her before that sword did whatever it was about to do, but he was too late. He watched as it flew from her scabbard, despite her desperate attempts to stop it. It flew towards a man clad in a strange blue robe. Takumi was rendered helpless as he snatched it from the air and slammed it into the ground.

A shockwave knocked everyone down the second the sword was embedded in the ground. A wave of dark energy followed and obliterated all of the townspeople near the man. Many in close proximity to the dark wave were also killed, succumbing to the dark magic expelled by the sword. Buildings in the surrounding area collapsed from the force of the shock wave and the square was destroyed, the intricate tiles of the ground and the decorative statue in the center of the square in ruins.

Takumi whipped his head around wildly, taking in the destruction of his home, and felt a blinding rage. He looked to Nicole, the source of his fury, and wondered if she had been complicant of this Nohrian scheme.

His dark musings were interrupted by a terrified shriek from Sakura.

* * *

When the dark sword flew from Nicole's scabbard, Mikoto almost wasn't surprised. She had both sensed impending disaster days ago, and she knew full well this would likely end in her own demise.

Maybe she should have tried to prevent her premonition, spare her people, spare herself, but trying to escape fate always had unintended consequences. Trying to save her people could have doomed even more of them in the end. Canceling the ceremony in an effort to postpone the inevitable would likely have drawn an even larger crowd when her premonition finally came to pass. Unless a sacrifice was made, the currents of time would always return to their original course, and she refused to let anyone die in her place.

She watched with sorrow in her heart as many were killed in the explosion, as the buildings containing so many lives and livelihoods were toppled. She watched with fear as the sword's shards began hurtling towards her daughter.

 _No, this isn't right!_ Mikoto thought. She was supposed to die today, not her daughter. She took a step forward, intending to throw herself between Nicole and certain death.

But someone else beat her to it.

Mikoto watched with shock as another girl jumped in front of Nicole, as another girl absorbed the blow meant for her daughter. The girl fell, and Nicole screamed her name. She doubled over in grief, clutching the fallen girl.

And then the world exploded a second time.

* * *

The square was in ruins, the crowd that had so recently occupied it, dead. I could hear their terrified screams echoing in my ears as I stared in horror at the figure in the center of it all.

He still held my sword in his grip, the sword that had caused so much destruction, and I watched with fear in my eyes as it splintered into numerous pieces. The sharp shards flew towards my head, and I knew that this was the end. I held up my hands, waiting for the sharp sting of the magic missiles.

Instead of feeling pain, I heard an agonized gasp. I felt fear in the pit of my stomach as I glanced up, terrified at what I might see. With agonizing slowness, my mind processed the sight before me. I took in the blue dress, the white bonnet, the red and blue hair, and the kind yellow eyes wide with pain that I had looked to for comfort over the years.

"LILITH!" I screamed, catching her as she fell.

"L-lady Nicole, y-you're alright," she said happily, the light slowly leaving her eyes as she died with a small smile on her face. Her head lolled to the side, and I felt something dark building up deep within my chest.

It was rage. A bone deep fury that overwhelmed all other rational thought. I felt it growing, consuming me until my only thought was of avenging the death of one of my closest friends.

A dark aura surrounded me, but I didn't care. All I could care about was obliterating the man that had killed so many people, that had killed Lilith. My bones felt like they were being stretched, but the sensation wasn't exactly unpleasant. It felt freeing, like the floodgates on my fury had been opened. The emotion swelled, swallowing up everything else until that was all I could feel.

My last rational thought was that I would avenge Lilith, no matter what.

Then everything went black as I let the monster take over.

* * *

Ryoma watched in awe and terror as Nicole caused a second explosion. This one, unlike the first, was not an overwhelming, destructive force. It merely knocked everyone in its vicinity backwards. When the dust settled, however, Ryoma and the others were shocked by the sight that greeted them. His sister was gone, and in her place stood a giant dragon covered in metallic scales of silver, black, and white.

The dragon roared in pain and fury, its face turned to the heavens as it let loose it's haunting cry. It suddenly lashed out and tore into a nearly invisible figure cloaked in purple flames.

As Ryoma looked around, he saw more of these enemies pouring out into the square. It seemed most of them were moving towards the group of survivors clustered together on the opposite side of the ruined statue of the dawn dragon. He drew his sword as a few of their invisible foes began to close in on him. However, they halted as they drew nearer and, by unspoken agreement, all turned away from him and began making their way towards the survivors.

The lone enemy that remained was the mysterious cloaked man responsible for the square's destruction. He drew a kodachi from its sheath and assumed a fighting stance.

"Show me what you've got," it said in a sickly, rasping voice.

Ryoma felt fury boil in his veins. This man, creature, whatever it was had just killed numerous Hoshidan civilians. If it wanted a fight, he would gladly give it to the creature.

He swiftly charged the invisible creature and brought his blade down with blinding speed. It blocked the attack with surprising agility and kicked Ryoma's open side with enough force to send him sprawling.

Ryoma rolled, springing back into a defensive crouch as it charged him. The two exchanged several more blows, neither of them landing any hits, and staggered away from each other.

As Ryoma adjusted his grip on the Raijinto, he heard an angry roar behind him. He resisted the urge to look behind him, knowing that the creature would charge if he were to become distracted by his siblings.

Ryoma charged again, initiating another deadly dance of steel and lightning. The sparks dancing along the edge of Raijinto crackled violently as he continued his furious assault on the creature.

He tried to focus on the battle, but shouts and noises behind him kept drawing his attention away from the cloaked figure, nearly costing him the duel several times. From what little he could gather in these stolen glances, it seemed there were several groups of survivors fighting off the mysterious enemy. A few startled yelps and pained shouts indicated at least a few injured allies, but he knew that Sakura had her staff and was likely diligently healing their allies.

It was during one such lapse in focus that the cloaked man managed to land a hit one him. Ryoma hissed in pain as he jumped back to inspect the wound. While shallow, the cut was on his dominant arm. If he didn't end this battle soon, it would likely begin to affect his fighting.

With a newfound determination, Ryoma charged the enemy again. His attempts to find weak spots in the enemy's guard had been largely unsuccessful so far, but all he needed was one lucky break to end this before his wound started to affect him. His desperation quickened the flurry of blows aimed at the mysterious man by a fraction, but it still wasn't enough. Each swing was dodged with expert ease, and every return blow was dealt with strength far beyond what Ryoma was used to facing.

Finally, after acquiring a few more cuts, Ryoma found an opening. It wasn't ideal, but it was enough to land a shallow cut to the enemy's side. The cloaked figure hissed, jumping back and out of Ryoma's reach.

"Not bad," it rasped turning it's back on him and disappearing.

Ryoma raced to the spot the figure had once stood, searching for it with confusion evident on his face. The blow, while long, had not cut very deep. For a swordsman of the enemy's caliber, it should have been little more than an inconvenience.

As he turned to aid the other survivors in their fight against the invisible foes, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of apprehension. For his foe to cause so much destruction, and then flee the battle so easily… It baffled him.

He may have won, but he couldn't help but feel that the enemy was merely toying with them.

* * *

Hinoka had taken to the skies soon after the battle had started, her desire to get an aerial view of the battle prompting her to "borrow" a pegasus from a nearby stable. Once in the sky, however, she was unsure where to direct her efforts. A distant scream from Sakura had captured her attention at first, but Takumi had rushed to her defense before those invisible freaks could close in on her. There was also her mother, but the queen was being valiantly defended by Kaze and Rinkah. Azura was making her ways towards Takumi and Sakura, having picked up a naginata from one of the dead creatures. Ryoma was holding his own against the apparent leader of the enemy forces. That just left…

Nicole.

The shock of her initial transformation had largely faded away as the rush of battle stole her focus. Hinoka still had many questions about what was going on, but she had more pressing concerns at the moment.

 _I can't let myself get distracted,_ she reprimanded herself as she yanked her naginata out of another nearly invisible soldier toting around a wrymslayer. That had been her goal since the battle began and Nicole's dragon form revealed itself: keeping the wrymslayers away from her sister.

She had been largely successful so far, the only damage Nicole sustained was a few scuffs and scrapes from the magic users. She let out a small sigh of relief. It seemed that the battle was winding down, the overwhelming forces that had attacked them had slowed to a trickle of soldiers. Ryoma had landed a devastating blow on their leader a while ago, prompting it to retreat, and he was presumably making his way towards their siblings.

Now that the battle was almost over, that left the question… how would they get Nicole to transform back? She knew little about dragons and even less about the stories of people who could transform into them. What if… what if they couldn't get her to transform back?

" _You are the ocean's grey waves"_

Hinoka heard someone singing a familiar song and felt dread pool in her stomach. Sure enough, Azura was making her way towards Nicole with seemingly no regard for her own safety. She watched helplessly as Azura pushed Ryoma away, trying to get closer, but failing as Azura created a blue barrier that stopped her approach. Hinoka landed beside Ryoma, helping him to his feet and watching the unfolding events with terror in her heart.

It was entirely possible that she would lose two sisters in the next few moments.

* * *

Azura stared at the giant dragon towering over them all and felt a flicker of fear. She didn't think Nicole would truly harm her, but… would the dragon? Azura knew that Nicole had little control over herself at the moment, the dragon most likely overriding any rational thought on Nicole's part. Azura knew it would most likely fall on her to calm the rampaging dragon, but could she do it? Would she be strong enough?

Azura knew she had little choice but to try. Even if she was willing to let Nicole die, she knew the dragon would likely take many people with it. With trembling hands and a heart full of fear, she began approaching the dragon.

" _You are the ocean's grey waves"_

She was distantly aware of Ryoma and Hinoka trying to reach her, presumably to stop her from her attempts to calm Nicole, but Azura couldn't let them do that. With little more that a twitch of her fingers, she pushed them back and redirected her attention to Nicole. She was getting closer now, almost close enough to touch the dragon. She felt a flicker of hope.

 _Maybe she has kept enough of her senses to distinguish friend from foe_ , she thought, a small smile appearing on her face as she held her hands out in a pacifying position.

Those hopes were shattered, however, as the dragon reared back and backhanded her with its giant, clawed foot. Azura fell back, the breath knocked out of her, but she was otherwise unharmed. She heard Sakura shriek as the dragon wrapped its claws around her neck, pinning her to the ground.

Azura panicked, she had no idea what to do. She had thought the dragon was calming down; she thought it recognized her!

" _Yet the waters ever change_

 _Flowing like time_

 _The path is yours to climb"_

Azura sang the end of the song, it's calming melody the only thing she could think of to appease the dragon. A few beats passed in absolute stillness. Azura gently laid her hand on the dragon's claw.

"Kill me if you want," she croaked, "but do it as yourself."

With that desperate plea, the dragon withdrew its claws from Azura's throat and stepped back. A shower of blue sparks appeared as the dragon's form shrunk into the figure of a young woman.

 _I did it,_ Azura thought to herself. _I actually did it._

* * *

I came back to myself slowly, getting caught on bits and pieces of other memories along the way. I had trouble making sense of what I was seeing, a flash of a large hand, a man kneeling in agony, the sound of an axe whipping through the air. I couldn't make sense of any of it, and as my eyes slowly opened, I realized I had more pressing problems at the moment.

The square that had so recently been filled with people was in ruins. The people were gone, most likely killed in the explosion. And Lilith…

I whipped my head around, searching for my fallen friend. My attention was captured by Azura, who lay on the ground next to me gently rubbing her throat. I searched through the hazy memories of my transformation and briefly recalled nearly killing her.

"Azura! Are you all right? I'm so sorry! I-I don't know what came over me," I cried as I rushed to help her stand.

"I know," she reassured, giving me a gentle smile to convey her forgiveness. She opened her mouth to say something else, but was cut off by the sound of shouting.

"Mother!" Sakura cried out in the distance.

Azura and I shared a worried look before rushing over to where the others had gathered. They seemed to be grouped around a prone figure lying near the foot of the ruined statue. Upon closer inspection, we found Mother lying still with a wound on her side.

"My apologies, Your Highnesses. I failed to protect the queen," Kaze said, bowing his head.

"What happened? Will she be all right?" Ryoma asked, directing his attention to Sakura, who was currently focused on healing Mother's wounds.

"I-I think she'll live, b-but she's very weak r-right now," Sakura explained, her expression slightly pinched as she focused on healing.

A shadow passed over the group, heralding the arrival of two woman flying on a giant, white bird with multicolored feathers that Hinoka had told me was called a kinshi. The two women dismounted, and I was surprised to find I recognized one of them as the woman I'd seen exiting the throne room earlier.

"Reina, take Queen Mikoto back to Shirasagi and call every healer we have available," the purple haired woman ordered.

"Of course," replied another, a blue haired woman. Her scarred face and battle armor gave her the appearance of a fearsome veteran, and the yumi strapped to her back showed she was clearly ready for battle.

Immediately, Takumi and Ryoma gently worked to lift Mother onto the kinshi's back, and the blue haired woman, Reina, flew off in the direction of the palace. As soon as they were safely away from the square, the purple haired woman whirled to face the rest of us.

"Would someone care to explain what happened here!" She demanded, her eyes flashing and her voice just shy of yelling. A few beats of silence passed, everyone too weary from the recent battle to offer any sort of explanation.

"There was a cloaked man that caused an explosion," Rinkah finally offered.

"Yeah, but you're missing one key detail," Takumi interjected. I felt myself tense, worried at where he was directing this conversation. "The explosion came from Nicole's sword," he finished, throwing an accusing glance my way.

I felt myself shrink back as everyone's eyes locked on me, some wary, others assesssing, but none of them open as they had been just a few hours previously.

"And then there's the matter of her transforming into a _dragon,_ " Takumi spat, seemingly taking this as more evidence of my guilt.

"Takumi, you can't assume-," Azura began trying to defend me.

"Shut up, Azura! Do you really expect me to believe that it's a mere coincidence that she shows up and this happens so soon after?" Takumi yelled, his voice gaining volume with every accusation.

"No, I don't think it's a coincidence, but neither do I think this is her fault," Azura explained calmly.

"Yeah? Then maybe she never should have come back in the first place," Takumi said, throwing another dark look my way.

"You don't mean that," Hinoka pleaded, trying her best to calm him down.

"Of course I mean it, Hinoka! Because of her Mother is injured, numerous civilians are dead, the capital is in ruins… what if the barrier falls in Mother's weakened state? What then?" Takumi demanded.

"I wouldn't worry too much about the barrier Lord Takumi… It has already fallen," the purple haired woman interjected. There was a brief pause in the bickering as everyone absorbed her words. "There is currently no word from our border troops about enemy movement, but it's only a matter of time."

"The barrier… but how…" Hinoka muttered, clearly at a loss for words.

"As the retainer for Lady Mikoto and a diviner, I could sense the change in energy the second the barrier dropped. However, Reina and I would have come anyway," she paused, seemingly debating telling us something. "Lady Mikoto gave us prior warning some sort of tragedy would occur today, one likely resulting in her death."

Following this proclamation, there were outraged shouts from my siblings, but I just felt numb. Why hadn't she done anything? Why hadn't she stopped this? Looking around at my siblings, I saw expressions ranging from disbelief to anger, and I knew their thoughts echoed my own.

"It appears we have some time to prepare for the Nohrian army that will surely be approaching our border soon enough. I would recommend speaking to the queen once she has recovered enough." With that, the conversation was seemingly ended, and everyone began to either dart around the ruins or head back to the palace.

Everyone except me, I stayed rooted to the spot, unable to move. Guilt twisted uneasily around my subconscious as I looked at all the damage done by my sword. Perhaps I hadn't known, perhaps I hadn't intended for it to be used this way, but it was still my weapon that had left all these bodies strewn across the square.

I thought of the barrier, of the war that was sure to be started over this. Maybe Takumi was right, maybe it would have been better if I'd just been killed at the Bottomless Canyon or if I'd never passed Xander's test an eternity ago. I certainly wasn't worth this.

I wasn't worth a war.

* * *

 **Okay, so, obviously I changed some stuff in this chapter. I want to let everyone know that I didn't randomely dedcide to save Mikoto, there is an actual reason this happens that I will reveal in a later chapter.**


	9. A Fated Choice

**A/N: Soooo... it's been awhile. I don't really have an excuse- wait, scratch that, I have about a million of them, but I seriously doubt that's what you came here to read about. So, sorry about my lengthy absence (again), but I figured the near contant state of exhaustion I've been in probably wouldn't produce the great results if I tried to write too much. Things have calmed down, and I have a lot more time to write now. Also, big thanks to dulcetly, whose reviews prodded my guilty conscience and finally forced my lazy butt to crank out the rest of this chapter.**

 **In this chapter, we _finally_ reach the big choice. Yay! Almost out of the prologue!**

 **Disclaimer: I still do not own Fire Emblem.**

* * *

It had only been an hour since the attack when the first scout came sprinting through the palace as we loitered outside Mother's door.

"Your Highnesses, a massive Nohrian force is gathering at the border," the soldier panted, eyes wide with panic.

The others, of course, immediately flew into a rage, with Takumi spitting curses and Hinoka punching the wall hard enough for Sakura to pull out her healing staff, concerned she had broken something. Ryoma managed to keep his composure, but his eyes held a barely contained rage as he gave orders to the scout to begin mobilizing the troops.

I just felt numb, shocked by the massacre of the square and desperately trying to rationalize the attack so soon after. I was already struggling to come to terms with the idea that Xander and the others might have played a part in my near death experience, but now they wouldn't even allow us the time to properly mourn our dead?

 _Sometimes, pragmatism demands dishonor,_ I heard Leo's voice echo in my ear. I remembered him trying to teach me that lesson during a discussion on tactics forever ago. The words had chilled me then, but now they sent shivers down my spine as I remembered the dark look in Leo's eyes when he said it.

But… the Leo I remembered was the dorky brainiac too lost in his own thoughts to put his clothes on properly half the time. How could I rationalize that image of him with the shrewd strategist ordering an invasion directly following such a slaughter? I put it from her mind, consoling herself with the knowledge that he might not be the one issuing orders. It was probably Iago… it had to be Iago.

The door to Mother's chambers squeaked a bit as it opened, startling me out of my confused thoughts. A petite healer walked out and gave us a reassuring smile.

"She's weak, but she will be fine," the healer assured us in a soothing tone. Ryoma took a step towards the door, obviously intent on seeing Mother once more before we left for the border, but the healer held up a hand to stop him. Her smile faltered a bit as continued in a slightly flustered tone, "She's awake, but… she said she would like to speak with Lady Nicole… privately."

At those words, five pairs of eyes turned to look at me, some carefully indifferent, some accusing, but all staring at me with an uncomfortable intensity that had been absent mere hours ago. I hesitantly began walking towards the door, half expecting them to refuse to allow me a private audience with Mother. However, other than a few grumbled complaints from Takumi as the doors swung shut behind me, they just continued to stare.

The room was swathed in shadow, the only light coming from a few candles softly flickering around the room. The room was empty except for the bare necessities, largely unused since royalty rarely required private healing quarter for an extended length of time.

"Nicole," Mother said softly from the single bed within the room. I fought back tears as I saw her pale face, the color leached away by blood loss. The dim lighting of the room formed dark shadows across her face, making her appear almost like a corpse.

"Mother… I-I'm so sorry!" I sobbed, sinking to my knees at her bedside.

She shushed me soothingly, her hand weakly moving to rest comfortingly on my head. "The incident in the square was not your doing, nor do I blame you for the unwitting role you played in this plot."

"The barrier has fallen. We've already received reports that a Nohrian force is on its way," I whispered, bowing my head as I waited for her judgement.

"I know," she simply stated, her voice holding none of the anger or suspicion I'd been terrified to hear. A few beats of silence passed as she waited for me to gather myself.

"What do I do? How do I fix this?" I finally asked.

"That's up to you to decide. I can't make this decision for you," she answered, cutting to the heart of the matter with disconcerting insight. "However, I might be able to make this burden easier to bear," she continued, motioning to the chest at the foot of her bed.

I cautiously moved towards it, my fingers grasping the elaborate, carved handles as I heaved the chest open. Inside was a glittering necklace with a single stone attached to the end and a sword enshrined in a decorated sheath.

Still hesitant to pick up a sword after the disaster with Ganglari, I turned my attention to the necklace first. Pulling it from the chest, I turned to Mother with a questioning gaze.

"That is a dragonstone," she calmly explained. At my blank stare, she let out a small chuckle. "It will allow you to transform between dragon and human at will. The stone will also prevent you from transforming accidentally."

I stared at the stone in newfound appreciation, quickly fastening the chain around my neck. Still curious, I asked, "Why do you have a dragonstone lying around?"

"That… is a story for another time, I think," she responded, her eyes flashing with momentary panic before settling once more into a serene expression. I made a mental note to pursue that question later. For now, the Nohrian army marching towards Hoshido was a bigger concern.

Hesitantly, I picked up the remaining item in the chest. The golden handle of the sword glimmered in the low light, and the sword's sheath was decorated in detailed depictions of fierce dragons and ancient battles.

"What's this?" I asked, knowing there had to be something special about the blade.

"It's a theory of mine," Mother cryptically answered, her eyes solely focused on the blade. "Try drawing the sword."

I obliged, drawing the sword easily from its elaborate sheath. Its weight settled comfortably in my hand as I gave it a few experimental swings. As much as I detested fighting, I had to admit that the sword was lovely. Its golden edge gleamed as though it had just been polished, and the rubies set further down the blade almost seemed to pulse with energy. Glancing back to Mother, I saw the resignation in her eyes and once again sheathed the sword.

"That sword is a Hoshidan relic known as the Yato," she began softly. "It can only be wielded by the sword's chosen master. To anyone else, the sword is impossible to lift, and that's only if they can get it unsheathed."

"But what does it mean to be the sword's master?" I asked, gazing at the Yato with newfound awe and appreciation.

"Well, according to legend, the person who wields that blade will bring peace to the world," she slowly explained, as though trying to ease me into this revelation.

It didn't work.

"What? The sword is wrong! It has to be wrong! It's my fault Nohr is marching on Hoshido, and somehow I'm supposed to bring peace?" I exploded, my thoughts going a million miles per minute. I wasn't a warrior like Xander and Ryoma. I didn't have experience in the real world like my other siblings. I didn't even have the endearing childishness of Elise and Sakura. How could I be expected to bring peace? I'd already had a hand in destroying Hoshido, so why would such a sacred artifact choose me?

"Nicole," Mother called in a pleading tone. A violent cough overcame her, halting my frantic thoughts better than her call had as concern pushed away my denial.

"Mother?" I softly probed, wondering if I should call the healer back in.

"I trust you," she assured, her voice weaker than before. "You can do what I could never. You can bring peace, true peace, not a flimsy barrier holding back the tide of war."

"Mother, I'm going to go find the healer. You're weak. You need more rest," I said instead of responding to her claims. I didn't know how to respond to that kind of misplaced faith.

"Stay safe," she ordered, slumping back onto her pillows and almost immediately falling into a deep sleep.

"I will," I whispered, though I knew she could no longer hear me. As I left, I strapped the Yato to my side, knowing I'd need it soon enough. The idea terrified me almost as much as the sword's meaning.

I winced, thinking about relaying this information to my siblings. Takumi definitely wouldn't take it well. He'd probably ask the same questions I had. How could the Yato choose me after what happened in the capitol?

Maybe… it was a sign. Maybe I could still atone for all the death and destruction in the square. Mother's injuries... all those people in the crowd… Lilith…

We'd never even found her body.

But maybe, with this sword, I could redeem myself. Maybe I could make things right.

As I left Mother's chambers, my conscience felt lighter than it had since the incident, but a newfound weight had settled on my shoulders to replace it.

* * *

Hinoka tried to lose herself in the steady soaring of her pegasus. The rhythmic beat of wings and the cool, crisp air blowing around her almost never failed to take her mind off of her troubles.

Almost.

As of right now, there were far too many things crammed in her head to truly push them out. There were her worries about Mikoto and the capital, but there was also a healthy amount of fear for the coming war as well as a whole slew of random thoughts and mysteries swirling around in her head. She decided her best option was to focus on the later. It was… easier than dwelling on some of her other concerns.

First and foremost was her wonder at Nicole's new weaponry. The ability to shift into a dragon at will was awe inspiring itself, and yet another mystery for Hinoka to try and untangle, but with the legendary Yato blade added to her arsenal… the bards would be singing tales about Nicole before the month was out.

With a wince, Hinoka remembered that not everyone had taken the news of Nicole's newfound sword and shifting abilities with awe and wonder. Takumi had, as per usual, hissed out a few scathing remarks before stalking off.

" _You! She trusted you with the Yato! You just tried to kill us all!" Takumi spat as Nicole exited Mother's healing chambers._

" _I-I didn't… I-I never asked-" Nicole stuttered out, sounding as meek as Sakura._

" _Yeah? Well, I never asked for you to come back. Just do us all a favor and leave already! You've caused enough death in Hoshido!" Takumi yelled, spinning on his heal and storming from the room._

Hinoka hadn't seen Takumi since. She was assured by Ryoma during a short break in their march that he was off sulking near the middle of the army, where she'd have no chance of spotting him from the air.

While relieved he was safely away from the front lines for now, Hinoka worried that leaving him to stew in his anger would just wind up feeding it. He'd already lashed out at Nicole several times since the attack. Sure, the entire situation reeked of an underhanded Nohrian plot, but his continued attempts to antagonize Nicole greatly concerned Hinoka. What if he drove her off right when it was most critical to ensure her loyalty? What if she ran back to her fake Nohrian family because of Takumi's outbursts?

Hinoka shook her head, admonishing herself for getting distracted. She was supposed to be scouting. Even though they weren't scheduled to come close to the Nohrian army for another few hours, the initial scouting party could be off or they could run into scouts for the Nohrian army.

With a glance at the sun, Hinoka sighed. They were nearing both the border to Nohr and nightfall. Dusk threatened just over an hour away, and the plain they were currently traveling through would offer the best campground they'd see for many miles. It was as good a place as any to halt for the night. Depending on how they positioned themselves, it could also be an ideal place to wait for the appearance of the Nohrian army.

Just as she prepared to dive down and signal Ryoma to halt, a speck appeared on the horizon. To the untrained eye, it might have been a distant bird, but Hinoka could make out the distinctive contours of a wyvern from miles away. She had trained for most of her life to battle them, after all. With a piercing whistle, she signaled for the kinshi knights under her command to come forth as more specks appeared along the horizon. The shape of the wyverns became more and more pronounced as they drew closer, until Hinoka could make out the riders perched upon their mounts.

Suddenly, prompted by some sort of signal, they turned back, likely reporting their position to the Nohrian army. Hinoka eyed the space between her knights and the riders bitterly, knowing the distance was just a touch too far to justify pursuing them.

As Hinoka reluctantly relaxed her battle ready position, she grimly thought to herself that she wouldn't have to wait too long to do battle with the wyvern riders she had just encountered.

It seemed the scouts had been wrong, the Nohrian army was close.

* * *

Hinoka's warning had sent the Hoshidan army into a flurry of activity as they hurriedly prepared for battle, positioning themselves to capitalize on their chosen battlefield's advantages. Currently, we all stood in grim silence as the first wave of the Nohrian army positioned themselves across the plain.

I stood with the rest of my Hoshidan siblings at the front lines, facing the army opposite us and scanning for any familiar faces within. Were my other siblings here? I wasn't completely sure which answer I would prefer.

As the flow of Nohrian soldiers slowed to a trickle, my question was answered by a paladin riding towards the center of the two armies, a paladin with awfully familiar golden hair.

Xander.

But what was he doing riding between two armies?

"Prince Ryoma, I have an important matter I must discuss with you," Xander called out, eyes scanning front line of Hoshidan soldiers for Ryoma. "I ask that you step forward… with my sister."

I didn't know whether to be happy or terrified at his statement. It relieved me that he still considered me his sister, despite my true origins being revealed. At the same time, though, I realized Azura's prediction would prove true sooner than I expected. I would have to make a choice today, on this very battlefield, and, if Xander has his way, I'd do it in front of two armies.

"We do not have your sister," Ryoma responded, drawing Xander's attention as I shrunk a little behind Hinoka, not at all ready to face this decision. Hinoka, likely misinterpreting my fear, reached back and gave my hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Do you take me for a fool? I know she is here, our spies have reported as much. Would you truly disregard the chance to settle this conflict before it comes to bloodshed?" Xander questioned.

I laid a hand on Ryoma's arm as he opened his mouth to say something else, likely deny Xander the chance at negotiations. I nodded my head when he turned to me, signaling I was willing to do this. If there was even a chance I could end this peacefully, I had to. He closed his eyes and bowed his head, a silent, grudging acceptance of my desire to speak with Xander.

We walked forwards, coming to a stop a few feet from Xander. He smiled when he saw me walking alongside Ryoma, relief etched into his features as he waited for us to come closer.

"Nicole, are you alright?" Xander asked, his brow furrowing as he scanned for any injuries.

"Yes, I'm fine," I responded.

"Do you truly think we would harm _our_ sister?" Ryoma questioned. Xander's expression darkened at these words, and I flinched at Ryoma's unspoken challenge.

"This is ridiculous. Release our sister and I shall withdraw my troops," Xander ordered. I winced at his response. He hadn't refuted Ryoma's claim. He had known the truth. I had assumed he would have known, but… it hard to hear my suspicions confirmed.

"Like we would ever allow a bunch of Nohrians to steal her again!" Hinoka exclaimed heatedly from behind Ryoma. During our conversation with Xander, I hadn't noticed my Hoshidan siblings come creep closer to us. Upon looking towards the Nohrian side of the battlefield, I saw my Nohrian siblings were similarly positioned behind Xander.

"I'm afraid, dear, that you're not going to have much of a choice in the matter," Camilla said from atop her wyvern, brandishing her axe threateningly at Hinoka.

"You think you can march into our kingdom and start making demands!" Takumi yelled from beside Hinoka.

"I think that you are too weak to stop us," Leo responded with his trademark smirk. He suddenly glanced in my direction and decided to bring me into this verbal sparring match. "Sister, why don't you come and help us make quick work of these Hoshidans?"

"S-sister?" Sakura said, her eyes wide as she stared at me beseechingly.

"Hey! She's my sister!" Elise yelled, worry in her eyes as she gave me a similar look.

"Nicole, this Nohrian will not listen to reason. Let us return to our forces," Ryoma said, holding out his hand for me.

"Sister… I know we lied about your origins, but you are still family to us. Come, join us and we will conquer Hoshido together with as little bloodshed as possible," Xander pleaded, holding out his hand as well.

I froze, glancing back and forth between my two older brothers. What should I do? They were both my family in their own way. How could I choose one over the other, especially when I would likely come to be hated by whichever side I don't choose.

A thousand images began flashing through my mind. A thousand reasons why I should choose Nohr. A thousand reasons I should choose Hoshido. But no real answers.

Xander and I sparring on top of the roof. Ryoma protecting me from the Faceless. Camilla singing me to sleep as a child. Hinoka trying to covertly teach me Hoshidan table manners. Leo and I reading together in companionable silence. Takumi grudgingly showing me around the capital. Elise's tea parties. Sakura giving me a tour of Shirasagi. A gentle mother. A cruel father. Siblings that had kept me company during the long years in the Northern Fortress. Siblings that I barely knew. Nohr's famine. Hoshido's abundance. Garon's tyranny. Mother's serenity. Twelve years of happy memories with my siblings. Twelve years of being locked in a fortress.

With these memories and countless more spinning through my head, I made my choice.

"I will not side with anyone!" I cried desperately.

* * *

Azura felt waves of shock ripple throughout the Hoshidan army after Nicole made her choice. She wasn't up on the front lines with the rest of her Hoshidan siblings, but she could still see that theirs were the most violent reactions. The disappointed, betrayed looks on the faces of all Nicole's siblings, both Nohrian and Hoshidan, spoke volumes. All who held weapons gripped them tighter, and Azura knew Nicole's gamble had failed.

Azura didn't know what to make of Nicole's choice, for she hadn't expected it. The princess seemed like a peace loving idealist to her, yet she hadn't chosen Hoshido. Azura would have thought the easiest way to end the war would be to side with her homeland, but Nicole instead sided against both armies. She had to know that this wouldn't end well, right?

Yet the more Azura thought about it, the clearer Nicole's intentions became. She wanted to end this war, but in a way that left both kingdoms intact. For the first time in years, Azura felt the stirrings of hope. If Nicole was willing to pit herself against two armies for the sake of peace, would she be willing to listen to Azura? Would Nicole be willing to accept the truth and fight against the Silent One?

Azura took a step forward, almost unconsciously. This was it, she would finally be able to share the burden of her secrets with someone, someone who could actually do something about it. Azura was useless, she couldn't fight, she was too aloof to win others over to her side, and she had no idea where to begin with such a task, but Nicole… she could change all of that. She was strong, brave, likeable, and she had the Yato, which surely held the key to defeating the Silent One. She could achieve what Azura could only dream of. She took another step forward and froze, something trying to claw its way to the forefront of her mind.

Mikoto, what would she say?

Azura's own mother had died in her attempt to reveal the secret of the Silent One to her. One might look at it as a noble thing, an attempt to save a continent by passing on knowledge of its hidden enemy. That's not the way Azura saw it, though. She saw it as her mother passing on a burden she could no longer bear to her young daughter and then abandoning her. Azura had nearly been crushed by the weight of her mother's secret, and she regularly felt as if it were suffocating her. The long, bitter years had nurtured the small seed of anger she carried for her mother, and while she still loved the late Queen Arete, it was marred by feelings of resentment.

Soon after her mother passed away, she was kidnapped by Hoshido, and Queen Mikoto had taken her in and treated her as a daughter. After many years, Azura had grown to love Mikoto just as fiercely as her real mother, but her love for Mikoto wasn't marred by bitter feelings as with her mother.

Mikoto was alive despite the horrible incident at the capital, and she was waiting for the return of her children. She would already be devastated to learn that Nicole wouldn't be returning with them. What would she say if Azura were to turn her back on Hoshido as well? After everything Queen Mikoto had done for her, Azura couldn't justify leaving. She had to remain, if only to spare Mikoto the pain of losing two children on this day.

She retreated one step, and then another until she was back in her original position. She would not side with Nicole, she would not betray Hoshido.

Nicole made her choice, and Azura made hers.

* * *

My gaze darted rapidly between my Nohrian and Hoshidan siblings, searching for some flicker of agreement or understanding. Instead, I received looks that varied from blank and uncomprehending to enraged and hurt.

"What lies have you filled her head with?" Xander snarled, turning back to Ryoma.

"We are not the ones who lied to her," Ryoma answered, drawing his sword as his attention turned back to Xander. "But it would seem that your deception has affected her more than I previously assumed."

"I suppose this cannot be settled by words," Xander said with grim determination, drawing his own sword slowly. Behind them, I could see the armies of both Nohr and Hoshido brandishing their weapons and preparing to charge. My own hand rested on the Yato, but I hesitated to draw the blade.

The world went still for a moment, the only sound was the wind rustling the grassy plane. The dusky light settled over everything as the image of glinting armor and glimmering weapons burned itself into my brain.

With a battle cry from Ryoma, the Hoshidans charged, breaking the brief stillness. Xander followed not a second later, the pounding sound of hundreds of horses charging signaling his forces quickly following suit.

I stood in the center of it all, the eye of the storm, watching as the two greatest armies on the continent clashed. Horrorstruck, I saw as the first casualties of the war fell. I gazed at the first drops of scarlet that littered the once peaceful fields, standing in stark contrast to the emerald hue of the grassy plain.

The sight of blood shook me out of my stupor, reminding me I was in the middle of two battling armies. I couldn't stand around staring like a fool. I had to do something, but… what could I do? An attack on either army would completely undermine my declaration of neutrality earlier, but I couldn't very well sit here and let anyone take a swing at me.

Maybe if I found my siblings, I could explain things to them. Maybe their voices, added to my own, would be enough to stop Xander and Ryoma. Maybe I could still get them to side with me.

My mind made up, I sprinted in the direction I had last seen my Hoshidan siblings, knowing they'd be more likely to hear me out. I ducked past a few soldiers battling as I ran, my heart aching every time I was forced to leave a dying warrior or jump over a still body. Luckily, most of the soldiers seemed too occupied to pursue a lone woman, and I quickly lost those who did.

Finally, I saw a familiar flash of pale red, almost pink, hair. While she was far too close to the battlefield in my opinion, the sight of Sakura greatly relieved me. As I drew closer, she caught sight of me, concern and fear flashing across her face as I approached. My steps slowed as I caught sight of the terror in her eyes. Surely… she wasn't afraid of _me_ , right?

"Sakura?" I called hesitantly.

I yelped in pain as an arrow whizzed past me, nicking my shoulder and drawing a line of blood.

"Stay away from her," Takumi snarled, already pointing another arrow at my head. He moved quickly to position himself between me and Sakura, his eyes glowing with hatred and vindication.

"Takumi, please, you have to listen to me!" I begged, eyeing the arrow warily.

"Listen to what? The honeyed drivel of a traitor?" Takumi sneered, his grip on the bow tightening. "No, you've chosen your side, and it's opposite ours. I won't listen to another word!"

"But I didn't-"

"I don't care! The others may think they can change your mind, but I know better! I have no problem taking care of a traitor like you here and now!" He spat, pulling the string of his bow taunt as he prepared to fire. Behind him, Sakura's fearful eyes flickered between us, but… she remained silent.

Just when I contemplated if this was the end, death at the hands of my brother as my sister watched, a blast of fire hit Takumi squarely in the back. He collapsed immediately. Sakura screamed as she began beating out the flames from his clothes.

My startled gaze flew to Camilla, her hands still holding the fire tome that had incapacitated Takumi. Here eyes locked with mine for a moment, and, in them, I saw a mixture of love, sorrow, and resignation, the same grim resignation I'd seen every time I begged to leave the fortress as a child. With a sudden pang, I realized I would not receive any more aid from Camilla. I knew her well enough to interpret the look in her eyes.

With an outraged cry, Hinoka sprang behind Camilla and reengaged in the duel I assumed Camilla had interrupted to save me. With those two once again fiercely battling, I turned back to Takumi.

"Is he alright?" I asked Sakura hesitantly. She stiffened at the sound of my voice, but she still turned so she half faced me.

"H-he will be," she answered in a voice that bordered on tears. Turning back to Takumi, she said, "Y-you should g-go."

I felt a lump in my throat as I realized Sakura thought I was a traitor as well, but I forced it down. Xander and Ryoma still battled furiously in the center of the battlefield, their duel uninterrupted as no one wanted to get between the two fearsome crown princes. I had to get to Leo and Elise. Perhaps Leo's logical arguments and Elise's adorable nature would get Xander to stay his hand long enough to reason with Ryoma. With one last regretful, apologetic look at Sakura, I ran towards the flashes of exploding earth and trees that signaled where Leo was.

Along the way, I attracted more attention than last time. A few stray arrows had whizzed a bit too close for comfort, and a bolt of lightning roared thunderously past my ear. I dodged everything, quickly ducking out of range when a distance fighter spotted me and narrowly avoiding close combat as I charged through the chaos of the battle.

Miraculously, I made my way to Leo without too much incident. Other than a few nicks and bruises, I was largely unscathed, and adrenaline numbed the pain from those wounds easily enough.

The ground to my left suddenly exploded as trees burst through the earth, their razor sharp leaves tearing into a small squadron of Hoshidan soldiers. Just as quickly as they appeared, the trees vanished, leaving blood and death in their wake. Turning to the source of the deadly attack, I saw Leo watching me with a carefully blank expression. After a moment's hesitation, he dismounted his horse and cautiously strode closer.

"Sister," he greeted in a cold, detached voice. I internally winced. I knew that voice. It was the voice he used with Iago and King Garon's other advisors. It was a voice used to conceal his true emotions and thoughts. It was a voice I never thought would be directed at me. Still, I was relieved he seemed at least willing to talk to me, unlike Takumi.

"Sister," he greeted hesitantly. "What are you doing? What do you hope to accomplish with this neutral stance?"

"Leo, please, I'm only trying to end this peacefully. I never meant to hurt anyone. Please, help me stop Xander. He might listen to you, and then-"

"Nicole… I can't stop Xander. Even if I thought he would listen, why should I?" Leo interrupted.

"Why? Because this isn't _right_. Do you really want to go to war with Hoshido?" I questioned.

"Nohr needs the resources Hoshido jealously hoards. We have no choice," he gently explained, as though speaking to a child.

"But maybe we could work something out peacefully! We could create a new trade deal and smooth over past wrongs. Perhaps Father could formally apologize for the death of King…," I trailed off as Leo's eyes flashed, indicating my misstep.

"Xander warned us that the Hoshidans might try to poison you against us. Although, I'll admit, I optimistically hoped you wouldn't be gullible enough to fall for it," he said with a disappointed sigh. I felt fury begin boiling through my veins at the condescending tone of his voice.

"Like I was gullible enough to believe I was locked away for my protection," I challenged, the bitterness I'd felt at that revelation spilling over. I quickly regretted my words as Leo's face once again into that blank mask.

"This conversation is getting us nowhere. The Hoshidans have manipulated you with lies and half truths. That doesn't change the fact that Nohr is still your home, even if you've forgotten it," Leo declared, his tome flaring to life as he raised his hand. "Perhaps this will knock some sense in you. If not, well… we have the journey home to remind you."

I took a step back, already wincing. I wasn't very resistant to magic, and Leo's was more potent than most. Before he could cast, however, a pained look crossed his face as he staggered, seemingly stumbling under the weight of some invisible force.

"Oops, sorry Leo! I was aiming for Nicole!" Elise chirped as she galloped just behind Leo.

"Elise! Xander told you to be careful with that staff!" Leo barked as he fell to his knees. I glanced at Elise and, sure enough, she held a gravity staff.

Looking up at Elise's face, I was surprised by the serious expression in her eyes. Elise had always been cheerful, carefree at even the most dire of times. The expression she wore now… it felt like it didn't belong among her cherubic features.

"Go," Elise mouthed silently to me.

With one last agonized look back towards the uncharacteristically somber Elise and the still struggling Leo, I fled back into the chaos surrounding us. I frantically took stock of the situation. I had no allies, I was trapped amidst two battling armies, and most of my siblings believed me to be a traitor.

My eyes landed on Xander and Ryoma, still fiercely battling. I saw Ryoma shoot a bolt of lightning from his sword and watched Xander retaliate with a beam of dark energy. I knew this couldn't go on. I had to stop them before someone got hurt. Without any of my other siblings by my side, I knew this was foolish- _extremely_ foolish- but what choice did I have?

With little more than a plea and a prayer, I raced towards my older brothers.

* * *

Xander internally cursed as the Hoshidan prince dodged another attack, bringing up his shield as Ryoma retaliated with a burst of lightning. The Hoshidan was quick; Xander would grudgingly give him that. His twirling blade always seemed just a touch quicker than Xander's, although his own attacks seemed to hit harder. A quick glance confirmed that Ryoma had begun to favor his right leg, the large gash on his left finally starting to take its toll on the crown prince. With a wince, Xander took stock of his own injuries. While smaller, they were far more numerous.

 _Curse that Hoshidan dog!_ Xander thought viciously as he took a quick jab at Ryoma's torso, which he, unfortunately, dodged.

Xander knew they were too evenly matched, his own sheer strength and Ryoma's agility nulling each other's advantage. They'd been clashing for what felt like hours now, and neither had made significant gains over the other. At this point, he realized it would take outside interference to come out on top.

Their blades clashed once again as they each charged forwards.

"Ready to give up yet?" Ryoma taunted, the slight strain in his voice betraying his struggle.

"I'll gladly accept your surrender, if that's what you mean," Xander retorted, fury sparking in his eyes at the mere _insinuation_ that he would ever admit defeat to a spineless Hoshidan princeling.

Breaking apart, they both staggered back a few steps and readied for another assault.

"Stop!" Nicole desperately demanded, stepping between them and successfully halting their charge.

"Nicole?" Ryoma asked, the concern in his voice making Xander's stomach turn. What right did the Hoshidan have to act concerned over _his_ sister?

"Nicole, go find Camilla or Leo. They'll keep you safe until the battle's conclusion," Xander ordered, taking vindictive pleasure in the way Ryoma's eyes flashed.

"Keep her safe, or kidnap her again?" Ryoma challenged.

"Stop it! Both of you!" Nicole yelled. "Can't we settle this peacefully?"

Xander sighed, closing his eyes as he realized she was still clinging to the naive ideals she'd expressed earlier. "Nicole, go find Camilla. We'll discuss this further once we've returned to Nohr."

"That will be rather difficult, seeing as she's not returning to Nohr," Ryoma spat from Nicole's other side. Xander ground his teeth in frustration. He _would not_ lose his sister to a pesky Hoshidan dog.

"The only way _you_ are taking Nicole is over my dead body," Xander spat, his hand tightening on the hilt of his sword as he prepared for their fight to recommence.

At his goading words, Ryoma stepped forward, no doubt preparing to charge, before being halted by Nicole once again. Only…

She now had her sword unsheathed.

Xander eyed his sister with pride and relief. For a moment, he had worried she actually planned on pitting herself against Nohr. He also adopted a small, gloating smirk as he noticed Ryoma's dumbfounded expression.

"Nicole… what… what are you doing?" Ryoma desperately asked, sounding pained as Nicole pointed her new, golden sword at him.

"I… I'm just trying to do what I think is right," Nicole answered in a small voice. Her arm shook as she said it, but Xander was proud to note that her resolve never wavered.

"I know it was hard little princess, but you've made the right choice. I know Father and our siblings will gladly welcome you back," Xander assured, ready to end this with Nicole fighting at his side.

"I-I'm not siding with you either, Xander," Nicole continued, slowly turning so her sword now pointed at him.

It took Xander a few moments to comprehend her words, his mind and heart both rejecting them. A stab of pain hit his heart as betrayal and fury filled him.

"This is your fault!" Xander snarled, turning to direct his anger at Ryoma. "You and the rest of your pathetic excuse for a royal family have filled her head with lies!"

"No, unlike you and your family, we told her the truth. Does it hurt knowing the only reason she considers you her brother is because of _your_ lies?" Ryoma spat back. "We lost her once to Nohr. Never again. Nicole is coming back to Hoshido with us, her real family, even if I have to drag her kicking and screaming."

"As if we'd ever allow that. She'll be coming with us to Nohr, where we'll undo whatever damage you've done," Xander swore, tightening his grip on Siegfried.

"Please stop!" Nicole pleaded once again. However, this time, her pleas fell on deaf ears as Xander and Ryoma charged, their deadly dance of steal continuing.

As the flurry of blows continued, Xander saw Nicole dart away from their duel. Xander half hoped she would take his advice and find Camilla and Leo, but he knew this was likely a fool's wish. He'd seen the look in her eyes as she stood between him and Prince Ryoma, the same determined look that had gotten her into trouble with Gunter and Father so many times. She would not back down easily from her attempts at a peaceful resolution.

However, if he could get to her and change her mind before word reached Father… he'd have a chance.

All he had to do was win this fight.

* * *

I understood now. As I ran from the battlefield, stumbling through the forest I'd retreated to with my vision blurred by tears, I finally understood the lesson Camilla had tried to teach me an eternity ago. She had tried to give me an easy way out, tried to spare me learning the hard way. I hadn't listened then, and I was paying for it now.

She tried to tell me I couldn't always balance both duty and morals, but I hadn't accepted it then. I had thought that there would always be an option that honored both, or that I could at least make one. I thought the words were practically synonymous. After all, wouldn't my duty to my homeland always be morally right?

Apparently the answer was no.

When presented with the choice between Hoshido and Nohr, I had felt so clever, so righteous. Hoshido and Nohr, morality and duty, and I had found a way to honor both. I would choose neither and bring about a peaceful settlement.

But nothing had gone according to plan.

Following my failed attempts to stop Xander and Ryoma's duel, I realized there was nothing I could do. I couldn't persuade my siblings. I couldn't stop the fighting. I couldn't bring peace.

So I ran.

I wished I had listened to Camilla. I wished I had just chosen a side. I accepted it now, I couldn't balance both, I had to choose one. I just wished I hadn't been so stubborn.

I was so distracted while running that I didn't notice the man that had caught up to me. I gave a startled shriek, stumbled to a stop, and scrambled to grasp the Yato before he could attack.

"Milady!" Jakob shouted, eyes wide with relief upon seeing me. "I'm so happy I caught up with you. I was unable to do so during the battle, but I'm here now. And I shall stand with you even if you have somehow managed to make us a target of not one, but two armies."

And with that declaration, I promptly burst into tears, Jakob's heartfelt statement destroying whatever remaining composure I had now that the adrenaline and shock had worn off.

"M-Milady!" Jakob exclaimed, relief morphing into worry upon seeing my tears.

"J-Jakob, what am I g-going to do?" I asked in between sobs.

"Lady Nicole, do you feel you have done the right thing by not siding with anyone?" Jakob asked in a calm, soothing tone.

"Y-yes, but it hardly matters if no one else believes it."

"Would you forgive yourself for giving up now and picking a side?"

"I-I don't know."

"Well, I know you, and I know that if you choose a side now, you would never forgive yourself. You must keep following your chosen path," he encouraged.

"But Jakob… none of them sided with me. I would have thought maybe _someone_ would have listened to reason. Elise, Sakura, maybe even Azura, but no one would listen. How can I achieve peace if no one is willing to listen?"

"Milady," he spoke hesitantly, like he was about to deliver bad news. "After you left… both armies were forced to retreat. Prince Xander and Prince Ryoma both declared you a traitor in the battle's aftermath. I'm afraid that even if you want to change course now, neither kingdom will accept you back."

I felt as if a bucket of ice water had been thrown over me. I had expected my choice to eliminate the conflict altogether, or, at the very least, help me decide who to support if only one side was willing to end the war peacefully. I had always felt safe in the assumption that at least one would welcome me back, but apparently I was to be estranged from both my Hoshidan and my Nohrian families.

"Don't worry, Milady. I'm sure you can end the fighting if you talk to you brothers again," Jakob said in an uncharacteristically optimistic moment, his complete faith in me shining in his eyes.

"No, I can't," I said in response to his devotion.

"But, Milady-," he began, confusion clouding his expression.

"I thought I could convince them, but I made it worse. My pleas are not enough; they never will be. The armies of Hoshido and Nohr need something else, something we can't give them," I said, looking at a tree behind Jakob as I was unable to look him in the eye.

"What do you mean?"

"It's an idea I've been turning over in my head ever since I was brought to Hoshido. The Nohrian people need food, our lands are barren and food is scarce. King Garon has told the people that Hoshido is to blame for this. They live in excess while the people of Nohr starve, but what he doesn't tell them is that at the last peace conference to discuss such things, he murdered King Sumeragi and kidnapped me. Of course Hoshido won't trade with Nohr, why should they when their last attempts at trade were met with the assassination of their monarch? Of course, as I said, the Nohrian people don't know this. King Garon keeps them ignorant of this, and tells the people that Hoshidans are merely greedy and uncaring. And then there is Hoshido's perspective in all of this. They believe that the people of Nohr are all bloodthirsty, warmongering tyrants who want to trample Hoshido. They fail to realize that most people are merely trying to survive. They fail to realize that, because the king is a bloodthirsty, warmongering tyrant, he has appointed positions of power to people who are similarly despicable. Hoshidans have been mistreated for years because of a few bad people in powerful positions, and this has sullied their views of all Nohrians. And after everything that has happened, can you really blame them? Can you blame either kingdom?"

Jakob, who had stayed silent during my rant, spoke up in a soft voice. "Lady Nicole… you have matured a lot while I was away. I'm sorry you had to learn the harsh realities of this war so quickly. But regardless, I fail to see your point. What do they need to end the conflict that we can't give them?"

"Someone to blame. Both sides have valid arguments. Both sides have valid needs. For them to put aside their differences, there has to be some sort of common enemy for them to fight."

"But how would that help?"

"Nohrians need food, they don't think Hoshido is willing to trade it to them, and Hoshidans aren't willing to stand aside and let their kingdom be conquered. What both sides need is something to bring them together, a common enemy, a scapegoat. Something that's enough of a threat to force them together and mend bridges King Garon burned a long time ago."

"But, milady, how would we go about doing that?" Jakob asked, already on board and eager to help.

"I don't know," I answered helplessly. I had no idea what to do or where to go from here. My grand plan failed spectacularly, and, aside from Jakob, I had no one left to turn to. With a sad glance at the sword at my side, I remembered my previous concerns about my worthiness to hold such a blade.

It seemed I was right to be concerned. I was a disgrace to the Yato.

* * *

 **A/N: A lot changes in this chapter, largely due to Mikoto's survival, so I just wanted to put a quick reminder at the bottom. Mikoto's survival wasn't just a random event I decided to throw in here for the sake of the story. I have an explanation for it. I'll either include the story behind it in a later chapter or create a new story altogether.**

 **Also (final reminder, I promise) pairings are open. I have a few loose ideas, but not much is set in stone.**


	10. Aftermath

**A/N: When you think it's going to be a short chapter, only for it to turn into your LONGEST CHAPTER YET! By like… over 2,000 words. Yeah, that was kinda rough. And of course, by the time I realized how long it was going to be, it was too late to split it up into two smaller chapters. So, sorry for the delay, but enjoy this extra long chapter!**

 **One thing I forgot to mention in the last chapter was why I changed the way that the Avatar gets the Yato and dragonstone. It's just another one of those things where I don't really like how the game handles it. It's like… Oh! There's a random sword of salvation just sitting on the destroyed statue. How did it get there? Because it's a** _ **magic**_ **sword! It sounds kinda silly when you say it like that. Also, I find it weird that Azura just happened to have a dragonstone lying around.**

 **Disclaimer: still don't own fire emblem.**

* * *

Sakura had settled into a comforting rhythm for the last few hours: assess the injuries of her current patient, heal them if she could, and move on to the next. She had been doing this for an indeterminable amount of time. The only interruptions in her pattern were the infrequent water breaks Hana insisted on.

Throughout the entire process, Hana dutifully followed Sakura with worried eyes, never straying too far from her liege. Though useless with a staff, she made herself busy fetching bandages and steaming bowls of water. While Sakura appreciated the gesture, she wished Hana would quit hovering. She needed time and space to sort through her grief privately. Though Sakura would admit that a makeshift hospital was not the best place to do so, especially considering how overcrowded and poorly equipped Fort Jinya was to handle the steady stream of wounded swarming the stronghold.

Following Nicole's flight from the battlefield and the retreat of both armies, there had been chaos as Ryoma and Yukimura dealt with the aftermath of so sudden an attack. Supplies had to be gathered, strongholds had to be fortified, and most importantly- in Sakura's opinion- the injured had to be housed and cared for.

Fort Jinya was quickly decided as the best location for a makeshift hospital. It was far into Hoshidan territory and easily defensible. Its fearsome reputation would also do well to ward against attack. However, it was never intended to hold so many wounded. The soldiers were currently spread out in a disorganized sprawl, their cots squeezed so closely together they were practically on top of one another. Some of the less serious cases had even been forced outside due to the lack of available space.

The healers had been quickly overwhelmed. They darted around the room at a frenzied pace, desperately healing as many of the wounded as they could. The vast store of healing staffs they had started with was already running low, and their stock of vulnerable had been depleted hours ago.

 _And this is only the first battle._ Sakura thought miserably to herself as her current patient succumbed to his wounds, his death weighing on her already heavy heart. He would mark the twelfth patient she'd lost today, the faces of each burned into her memory. With tears welling in Sakura's eyes at her most recent failure, she lifted the blanket over the still form of the soldier and turned to the next cot.

"Sakura? I'm going to go train for a bit," Hana gently called, her voice filled with concern. "Do you want to come with? You could get some fresh air, or maybe even try a little weapons training!"

Sakura sighed at Hana's attempt. Ever since the war broke out, Hana had been relentless in her attempts to convince Sakura to learn self defense. "N-no thank you, Hana. I h-have to h-help here," Sakura mumbled without turning around, her full focus on healing the wounded pegasus knight in front of her.

"Alright," she sadly replied, her voice laced with disappointment. Sakura felt a flicker of relief as she heard Hana's footsteps slowly walking away, finally leaving her to some semblance of peace.

She concentrated once more on the large gash across the pegasus knight's stomach, the flesh slowly stitching back together as Sakura poured her staff's healing energy into it. The wound was quickly sealed, the knight's pained moans fading into labored breathing as Sakura stood, searching for another patient.

She threw herself into her endless rhythm once again, barely pausing to move from bed to bed. She worked as though in a daze, pushing all thoughts and emotions behind a wall of solid concentration. After a lengthy parade of countless faces and gruesome injuries, she was finally halted by the shattering of her staff, the sight of the broken pieces littering the floor snapping Sakura out of her daze.

With nothing left to distract her, Sakura felt exhaustion seep into her bones as countless hours of healing finally caught up with her. Sinking heavily onto a nearby bench, she closed her eyes, leaning her head against the wall as she recovered her strength.

The second she closed her eyes, however, Nicole's face flashed before her, the hurt look in her sister's eyes a vivid reminder of the battle. With it came all the thoughts and emotions Sakura had repressed since she entered her daze. She remembered the sting of Nicole's decision and the devastated gazes of her siblings. She pictured Nicole sprinting towards her, charging through countless soldiers in her mad quest for peace. She remembered the fear she'd felt at the sight.

In hindsight, it was silly- stupid even- for her to feel so afraid, but she couldn't help it. She'd seen the monster that lurked beneath her sister's skin during the attack on the Hoshidan capitol- the monster that nearly killed Azura- and Sakura wasn't how far Nicole was willing to take her pursuit of a peaceful solution. Then Takumi had escalated the situation, refusing to listen to Nicole as he hurled accusations and insults before being incapacitated by that Nohrian princess. In the end, she'd panicked, gone silent, and sent Nicole away.

She was such a coward.

What would have happened if she hadn't been so afraid? Where would they be if she had found the strength to stop Takumi? Would Nicole have stayed?

A distant part of Sakura's mind rationalized that she hadn't been the one to declare Nicole a traitor; she wasn't the reason their sister was gone, but her guilty conscience prevailed. At the very least, her fear had contributed to Nicole's disappearance, and the subsequent guilt was overwhelming.

She hated it: her fear, her weakness, her failure… all of it.

Even her greatest strength- her ability to heal- was being used as an escape. Hadn't she been doing it since the battle? Using her healing abilities to distract her from her guilt and grief? Scanning the room, she saw the faces of people she'd healed as well as the still forms of those she couldn't. How many of them would've been spared if she was stronger? If she could fight like her siblings, how many wouldn't have needed healing in the first place?

She glanced towards the doors Hana had stalked through however long ago. Sakura thought over her retainer's recent insistence on learning to wield a weapon. Could she do it? Could she gain enough strength to atone for her failings?

Sakura stood and hastily made her way to the training field, her fatigue forgotten in the face of her newfound determination. She owed it to her siblings and her nation to become a princess worthy of her position. She'd protect her people from harm with the same fiery passion that drove her siblings in battle, and she would atone for her inaction on the battlefield by lending Nicole whatever strength she could muster.

Sakura acknowledged that the strength she craved would not develop overnight, but she was optimistic that, when next she saw her sister…

Sakura would do more than panic.

* * *

Elise had been avoiding Castle Krakenburg like the plague, deftly dodging Leo and Xander's questions as well as her retainer's smothering. She just needed to get away from it all- get away from _them_ \- so she often found herself traversing the secret tunnels running under Krakenburg to what Camilla called the "secret heart of Windmire."

It was… nice there. Lively in a way Krakenburg could never be. The people smiled more. Genuine smiles, not those layered with an undercurrent of malice and secrets. And though it was hidden deep underground, the light from hundreds of lanterns made the castle look like a mere shadow in comparison.

Elise greatly preferred the atmosphere of Windmire's heart to the harshness of Krakenburg. Up there, she was constantly reminded of the war. In the city, she could allow herself to forget. Forget about the war, forget about the death…

Forget about Nicole.

Back at the castle, Nicole's presence was everywhere. Elise was reminded during every war council, where her name was tossed around by officials like Iago and Hans… officials who wanted her dead. She was reminded by every sorrowful look that crossed her siblings' faces. She was reminded by every uncomfortable interaction between them.

Maybe that was why they were so studiously avoiding each other.

Elise bitterly thought it was rather ironic. In their grief over losing one sibling, they began pushing away whatever family they had left. She understood, though. After all, she was guilty of it herself, though her reasons were far different.

They were attempting to avoid reminders of their missing sister, but Elise was actively avoiding them. They were handling the situation abysmally, and she was _furious_ about it.

Camilla and Leo weren't grieving. They weren't even forgetting, not truly. They were _giving up._ Elise may not have been as childish as she pretended to be, but she wasn't willing to just accept that their sister was now considered dead in the eyes of Nohrian law.

And Xander, he was the worst. As the one to officially declare Nicole a traitor, she thought he might show a bit of remorse, but there was nothing. Sure, Elise knew why he did it. King Garon's fury was an excellent motivator on that front, but it didn't absolve him completely in Elise's eyes. And then there were his coping methods. Instead of trying to forget her memory entirely like Leo and Camilla, he attempted to _poison_ it, remembering her as the traitor King Garon portrayed her as rather than the kind, loving person Elise knew her to be. Elise understood it was probably easier for Xander this way, but… how could he disrespect her memory like that?

Elise jolted as a drop of water fell on her arm. She reached up, patting her cheeks to find tears streaming from her eyes. Mentally berating herself for crying _again_ like he baby everyone treated her as, Elise stood. She pulled the simple kerchief she wore lower, hoping to hide as many distinguishable features as possible, before setting off through the maze of colorful street vendors.

Reaching a door painted a vibrant purple color, Elise stopped and knocked softly. She'd found the house weeks ago, but she had been too much of a coward to request entry before now. She didn't know if the house's occupant would even recognize her, but… she really needed someone to talk to.

"Hello?" Called a plump, elderly woman standing in the doorway. She had aged gracefully since last Elise saw her. Her once raven black hair had transformed into a mane of silver held back in a messy bun. A few wrinkles now lined her rosy cheeks and crinkled the corners of her twinkling eyes, giving her a warm, grandmotherly appearance.

"Cassita?" Elise whispered, her voice cracking as the tears poured faster and faster down her cheeks.

"Elise?" Cassita exclaimed, a startled look entering her eyes as she recognized the crying Nohrian princess.

"Can I come in?" Elise requested softly, hardly daring to look her old nursemaid in the eye.

Cassita's stunned expression remained as she silently ushered Elise into the house. Without a word, she turned to prepare a pot of soothing tea while Elise made herself comfortable in the small, cozy space.

"I had no idea the royals were aware of our secret city," Cassita finally said, breaking their tentative silence.

"Only Xander, Leo, Camilla, Nicole, and I know about it," Elise responded, scowling as she realized Nicole's knowledge of the city didn't matter much anymore. She remembered Camilla planning the grand tour they'd give Nicole, listing the places she thought would interest their sister the most. All that was wasted now.

"Yes… your sister… I-I heard about that," Cassita floundered, wincing as she added milk and sugar. Elise wasn't surprised. From the conversations she'd overheard, news of Nicole's betrayal had spread like wildfire, and numerous rumors and conspiracy theories had cropped up along with it.

"Thank you," Elise mumbled as she accepted a cup from Cassita's outstretched hand, resolutely ignoring her previous comment on Nicole.

"Elise… what are you doing here? I'm delighted you've come to visit, but there must be a reason for your presence, especially considering the state you arrived in," Cassita pressed, genuine concern shining in her eyes.

Elise was silent for a few moments. Why had she come here? For sympathy? For a shoulder to cry on? To pour out her heart and soul to a woman she hadn't seen in years?

"I suppose I came to confess," Elise finally admitted, her normally cheerful expression turned serious. Cassita's eyebrows rose high on her head, intrigue written across her face as she stared.

"Alright," she said, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

Elise took a deep breath, fortifying herself as she prepared to reveal her deepest secret. "I'm not as innocent as I pretend to be," she finally blurted out in a rush. "I know how much my siblings tried to preserve my innocence. I know how much comfort they take in my cheerful disposition. So I pretend. I pretend to be their sweet, ideal little sister. I pretend to be happy and naive when I'm not. I've been wearing this mask for so long, I'm not even sure what's under it anymore."

Elise waited for Cassita to respond. She waited for the judgement and disgust on her nursemaid's face, but, looking into Cassita's eyes, she found none. The understanding and acceptance filling them shocked Elise, and the elderly woman's response unsettled her even more.

"I know," she simply responded, a kind smile on her motherly face.

"Y-you know? How?" Elise questioned, her mind whirling at Cassita's revelation.

"Elise, I was your nursemaid for _years._ I was with you from your first step to your first attempt at riding a horse," Cassita answered fondly, her eyes practically glowing with happy memories. "Your tutors raved about your abilities, especially your aptitude for magic. You mastered healing so quickly, and you took to the tome almost as quickly as Prince Leo. I figured out your charade quick enough through your tutor's claims and a few of my own observations, but I figured you'd grow out of it quick enough. I never thought your desire to please your siblings at the expense of your personal growth would last so far beyond my service to you or else I would have said something sooner. For that, you have my apologies."

Elise sat dumbfounded, her mind desperately trying to work through everything Cassita had just revealed. She'd known? All this time? Elise thought she'd done such a good job of hiding it. She thought she'd successfully convinced everyone of her naïveté and innocence. And then there was the apology. Was Cassita right? Had Elise been tried to please her siblings at the expense of her personal growth? Sure, she held herself back while they were around, but she always worked to better herself in private. But had purposefully holding herself back accidentally stunted her development as an individual?

"Judging by the state you arrived in, though, your confession isn't the only thing bothering you," Cassita interrupted, her question snapping Elise's attention away from her scattered thoughts.

"Perceptive as always," Elise smiled humorlessly, her lips pursing as she decided how best to respond. Cassita silently stared at her as she organized her scrambled thoughts, the stubborn set of her chin indicating she wouldn't settle than anything less than the truth. And if there was one thing Elise remembered about Cassita from her youth, it was her uncanny ability to detect when Elise was lying.

"Nicole is gone," Elise finally began, her voice whisper soft. "I spent years of my life pretending to be the perfect little sister… and it didn't matter; she still left." Elise felt tears gather in her eyes as she spoke, the glistening drops once again cascading down her face.

Cassita's eyes immediately softened with sympathy. She reached out and laid a comforting hand on Elise's shoulder, rubbing soothing circles along her back as she silently sobbed.

"I need something to do," Elise suddenly gasped, abruptly pulling away from Cassita's soothing comfort.

"Elise, we need to talk about this," Cassita insisted, a pained expression on her face as Elise retreated to the opposite end of the room.

"I can't, Cassita. This has been enough of a leap of faith for one day. I can't talk anymore, not today. I-I just n-need something to do," Elise whispered, her arms wrapped around her middle as if that could hold her together.

Cassita nodded, a grudging acceptance entering her eyes. "Alright, I don't like it, but I won't push you. When you're ready to talk… I'll be here."

"And do you have something for me to do?" Elise desperately questioned.

"What do you mean?"

"I just… I need something to do, to take my mind off of things. Some sort of task or errand… anything," Elise begged.

Cassita hesitated, clearly torn between trying to extend the conversation and giving in to Elise's desperate pleas. "Sometimes I sell wildflowers for a bit of extra money. I think I have a vase full of them around here somewhere. You can try selling them around the city, if you want," she finally responded. At Elise's nod, she moved to retrieve them before pausing, slowly turning her sad eyes bursting with sympathy back towards Elise.

"Elise… I should have said this years ago, when I first began to suspect you were hiding the depth of your talent and intellect, but better late than never, I suppose," she said with a humorless chuckle. "You shouldn't change yourself to fit someone else's ideal version of you. At best, you become someone unrecognizable. At worst, you waste your life trying to please people who just wind up disappointing you."

With that, Cassita left Elise alone in the tiny kitchen to mull over her words as she hunted for the flowers. Was Cassita right? Had Elise's attempts to please her siblings been wrong? Maybe it was best to end the charade, show everyone what she was truly capable of. After all, Nicole had left despite her efforts. Her remaining siblings were still avoiding each other despite her constant attempts to cheer them up. Perhaps… perhaps a change was for the best.

With a vicious yank, Elise tugged the ribbons from her hair, her childish twin tails now cascading down her back in a golden stream broken up by streaks of purple. Her deft fingers twisted the strands into one long braid trailing to her waist.

It wasn't much, just a different hairstyle, but it felt different… she felt different. If she wanted to show everyone her true mental capabilities, Elise would have to do a lot more than simply changing her hair.

But it was a start.

* * *

Takumi fired arrow after arrow into the practice target on the opposite end of the field, stewing in his thoughts. Normally, training gave him an opportunity to work off lingering aggression, but currently, he could find no peace in his bow. His thoughts were far too chaotic for that.

He should have felt triumphant, vindicated following Nicole's betrayal. Didn't it validate all of the claims he'd made, the claims no one had taken seriously?

And yet, he felt disappointment most strongly following the battle. Perhaps it was because of his siblings reactions that he felt this newfound melancholy, but there was more to it than that. The true question that haunted him, that kept him tossing and turning at night, was why Nicole sided against both armies.

Was she truly a traitor, as Ryoma had declared her to be? Many rumors seemed to suggest so, whispered conspiracies about her plotting the destruction of the entire continent. If that was true, she truly was a traitor, and he'd put her down without remorse. But if these rumors were false, and she was doing all of this with the naive belief that she could actually bring peace between the two nations…

No, he wouldn't even let himself go there. She had been declared a traitor in front of the entire Hoshidan army. If anyone had been suspicious of her before, there's no way they would trust her now.

Not for the first time, Takumi felt a flash of discomfort as he realized he was pondering the possibility of Nicole returning to their family. When had that happened? At what point had he cared about repairing their family?

The truth was hard for him to swallow. After his vehement denial of any affection or hope on his part, he didn't want to admit that a part of him had always wanted their family to be whole again. He longed to go back to the days Hinoka and Ryoma often described when discussing their childhood. They'd painted their childhood with Nicole and Father as a golden age he longed to recapture almost as strongly as Hinoka. When she had so suddenly appeared, he had been tentatively hopeful that their reunion would be as happy as Ryoma always said it would be, but she hadn't remembered anything, not Mother, not him… none of it. He couldn't help but feel betrayed, his hopes and expectations so cruelly dashed. Perhaps it wasn't fair of him to take his disappointment out on her, but he hadn't been able to help himself. And now…

Now it was best not to dwell on what if's.

"Prince Takumi," a voice greeted from the shadows. Takumi jumped slightly as Saizo materialized from nowhere. Had it not been for the ninja's mask, Takumi would swear the ninja was smirking at the prince's reaction.

"Saizo, would you cut it out?" Takumi grumbled, firing another arrow into the target with a satisfying _thunk._

"Prince Ryoma has a mission for you," Saizo bluntly declared, ignoring his complaint. Takumi finally relinquished his hold on the bow, turning to the ninja with an expectant look on his face.

"Well? What is it?" Takumi questioned impatiently, hoping his indifferent tone masked his surge of excitement.

"Prince Ryoma has requested that you travel to Izumo and assess the current political climate there," Saizo stated.

It took Takumi a few seconds to process Saizo's words, his mind going blank at the implications. A few beats of silence passed as Takumi stared at the ninja, waiting for him to take back his words, say it was a joke, _something_ , but he simply stood there, silent and stoic as ever.

"Are you telling me that my brother has ordered me to 'assess the political climate' of a nation that has been neutral for _over a thousand years!_ " Takumi raged, his hands tightening into fists.

"It is always better to be safe than-"

"So help me Saizo, if you finish that stupid saying, I will _make you sorry_ ," Takumi petulantly interupted, taking vindictive pleasure in the annoyance flickering in the ninja's eye. He knew his outburst was a bit childish, but he couldn't care less, not when his brother's lack of faith in him was so glaringly obvious.

"Izumo's crown has passed through many generations since the last full blown war. Prince Ryoma wishes for you to travel to Izumo and ensure the current archduke intends to continue the tradition," Saizo explained, his attempt at maintaining a neutral tone ruined by the irritation still burning in his eye. "It is an urgent task. You should feel honored that Prince Ryoma trusts you with such responsibility," he finally snapped at Takumi's unimpressed look.

"Trust? Since when has Ryoma ever placed any faith in me?" Takumi snarled, his temper finally spilling over. "I'm one of Hoshido's best archers, and what does he do? He sends me off to the safety of a neutral kingdom instead of on the front lines, where I could actually be of use. If he really trusted me, why wouldn't he let me help?"

"Did you ever consider that Lord Ryoma has already lost too many siblings to this war?" Saizo responded quietly, his strained tone conveying his obvious struggle to remain civil.

"So this is Nicole's fault? Just like everything else, I suppose," Takumi snapped.

 _And Ryoma wonders why I carry so much resentment for her,_ Takumi thought bitterly to himself. His previous hope for Nicole's return faded into the background as a wave of animosity rose within him.

"Enough. This is not the time for your petty hatred. Lord Ryoma has ordered you to leave for Izumo in the morning," Saizo growled, quickly disappearing back into the shadows as his patience for the younger Hoshidan prince waned.

Takumi seethed, willing the ninja to reappear and reassure him that it had been a mistake. Surely Ryoma wouldn't just… get rid of him, right? He'd want Takumi on the front lines, fighting by his side for the glory of Hoshido.

Who was he kidding?

Ryoma didn't care what happened to him, so long as he stayed out of the way. As long as he was tucked away in some neutral kingdom, he'd be "safe". If Ryoma was really so concerned with his safety, why would he send him away? Just because Nicole _chose_ to leave?

Even when she was missing, Nicole was _still_ ruining his life.

Pushing away the resentment bubbling through his veins, Takumi focused on the "mission" Ryoma was sending him on. Maybe… maybe it was an opportunity. He'd _make it_ and opportunity. Initially, it may have been a thinly veiled excuse to get rid of him, but Takumi was going to make the most of it. He'd ensure the mission went flawlessly and make his brother regret ever doubting him.

It was a long shot, but maybe this mission to Izumo could be a stepping stone to _finally_ gaining his family's approval.

* * *

Leo sat amongst his many books with spare bits of parchment, maps of the recent battlefield, and used up quills scattered about the polished oak desk. Currently, he was busy hurriedly marking up yet another copy of the map, his eyes gaining a glimmer of excitement as he formulated his latest plan.

"And then Camilla would have been deployed here… Elise would have… no, no, she would have been left open to Hoshidan archers… maybe, if Xander went here… and then I could have…" he muttered to himself, his eyes tracing over enemy movements again and again.

"Blast!" Leo yelled, crumbling up the map in frustration and launching it across the room. He stared at the maps surrounding him, a testament to his failure as a tacition and a brother.

It had been days since the battle at the Hoshidan plains, and, aside from some mandatory war meetings Father had insisted upon, Leo had holed up in his room, obsessively pouring over the battle plans. He searched and searched for some strategy that might have changed the outcome of the battle. Perhaps he could have gotten one of his siblings to Nicole's side faster. Perhaps they could have retrieved her before she made her choice. If they had just had a chance to explain their side of the story… but it was futile, both wishing Nicole could come back and his countless variations of battle formations.

Nicole was well and truly gone, and he had no choice but to accept it.

"What am I doing?" he muttered to himself, dropping his head in his hands. He should be focusing on the war effort. He _should_ be acting like a proud Norhian prince. But here he was pouring over maps from a battle already passed, obsessing over a life he could no longer save. After all, Nohrian law was blunt on the subject of traitors.

With a frustrated sigh, Leo turned away from the maps of the Hoshidan plains. Perhaps he would have better luck on his other project, though he'd have to be careful, for his second project was even less acceptable than obsessively revisiting the recent battle.

Truthfully, Leo was greatly concerned by his Father's newfound devotion to an unknown god. He'd spent hours searching through obscure religious texts and ancient historical accounts hunting for any mention of this "Anankos".

In his quest for answers, he had come across numerous texts detailing the history of the Dawn and Dusk dragons, but there was no mention of another dragon god. He'd even researched the spirits worshipped by some of the smaller tribes, though he quickly concluded King Garon would never honor the deities of tribes he considered lesser than the kingdom of Nohr. The only remotely encouraging lead he had discovered was a vague reference to "The Silent One" in a book filled with speculation on the origins of the ancient dragons, though he quickly hit a dead end with that line of research. There was no other mention of this "Silent One" in the entire Nohrian archives.

With little hope that he'd find the answers he sought, Leo reluctantly opened yet another book detailing the fall of the great dragons, scouring the ancient pages for any mention of King Garon's mysterious god.

A soft knock interrupted his concentration, and he felt a flicker of irritation as the door opened without his permission. Barely lifting his eyes from the text in front of him, Leo glanced at the unwelcome intruder invading his study. "Yes, Nyx?"

"Lord Leo," Nyx greeted, ignoring his obvious ire.

"Was there something you needed?" Leo asked in annoyance, closing the book with a _thud_ as he turned to his retainer. "I must say I'm surprised by your entrance. Aren't such displays of impudence normally Niles area of expertise?"

"My apologies, milord, but… I have news," Nyx answered, her mouth curling into a disgusted snarl. "That vile mage is at it again."

"Zola?" Leo groaned as Nyx nodded. "What has he done this time?"

"Our sources report he is once again pursuing a mad ploy for glory without prior approval from the crown," Nyx seethed. "Only this time, he's targeting a neutral kingdom. Izumo, to be precise."

"He's targeting Izumo?" Leo growled in frustration. Zola was infamous for his foolish, unsanctioned plots to gain power and prestige, but this was incredibly stupid, even for him. "I doubt he could make a bigger political misstep if he _tried_ ," Leo bemoaned, already lamenting the outrage of the other neutral kingdoms.

"Agreed, which is why I recommend apprehending him before his actions cost us the war," Nyx advised, though her commanding tone made it sound more like an order.

Leo sighed, placing his book out of sight when an idea suddenly occurred to him. "Nyx… do you know anything about an entity known as 'The Silent One'?" Leo questioned, hoping Nyx's extensive knowledge of the arcane would aid his search.

Nyx faltered for a moment, her hesitation barely perceptible, but Leo caught it. He watched the sorceress in concern as the normally professional, detached woman floundered for words. Was that a flicker of fear in her eyes?

"No. I know nothing about it. Now, I suggest you prepare to depart as soon as possible. We don't have a moment to lose if we wish to catch Zola before it is to late," Nyx abruptly finished the conversation, practically running from the room.

Leo sat in shocked silence, baffled by his retainer's uncharacteristic behavior. It was obvious that she knew _something_ about the mysterious "Silent One", maybe she even had information about Anankos.

Unfortunately, Nyx was right about Leo having bigger concerns at the moment. He had to ensure Zola's schemes didn't destroy Nohr's relationships with the neutral kingdoms. The stability of Nohr took precedence over his personal projects.

For now, his hunt for answers would have to wait.

* * *

Hinoka was lost in the skies yet again, wandering aimlessly over the ruins of Shirasagi castle town and the rolling fields beyond. Her head was in the clouds- both literally and figuratively- as she dwelled on the battle.

More specifically, she dwelled on Nicole.

Though Hinoka's reunion with her missing sister hadn't gone quite as expected, she'd still loved every second of it. The darkness of Nohr hadn't seeped into Nicole's heart like Hinoka had feared, and everyone- Takumi excluded- seemed delighted by her presence.

Then there was the explosion in the square, and the battle started so soon after. Hinoka was still reeling from all the death and destruction in such a short time. And in the midst of this, Nicole vanished. Again. Sure, she left of her own volition, but that did little to ease Hinoka's troubled mind. Her sister was out there, alone, _again,_ and Hinoka was helpless to stop it.

Hinoka's confusion didn't help the situation any. She struggled to accept Nicole's justifications. After all, Nicole was now aware that the Nohrians were responsible for kidnapping and imprisoning her for years, and she witnessed the incident in the capitol herself. The incident that nearly took her life. If she truly wished for peace, why did she not side with Hoshido and help put an end to the war?

Not for the first time Hinoka wished she had someone to talk through all of this with, but her options were limited. The idea of having such a serious conversation with her retainers was laughable. Sakura was in Fort Jinya helping with the wounded. Takumi would be way too bitter about the situation, and he was leaving for Izumo soon. Ryoma was busy with war councils, and she didn't dare broach the subject with Mikoto.

It made Hinoka feel so… so…

Useless. She felt useless.

Hinoka couldn't save her sister when she was kidnapped by Nohrians. She couldn't save Nicole while she was held captive. She couldn't stop Nicole from leaving a second time. She didn't even have any current responsibilities or missions to distract her like the rest of her siblings.

What was it for then? What had she trained countless years for? What was the point of training until her fingers bled from gripping her lance? What was the point of all the sleepless nights spent training, the broken bones from falling while atop her pegasus, the missed opportunities she gave up in an effort to become stronger?

With a loud sigh, Hinoka pulled her thoughts away from the never ending barrage of bitter questions. She refocused on her surroundings, realizing she'd strayed much farther from the castle than originally intended. The fields surrounding Shirasagi castle town had long given way to vast farmland broken up by the occasional small village. Judging that she stood a good chance of returning before nightfall if she turned back immediately, Hinoka prepared to nudge her mount just as she caught a flash of green out of the corner of her eye.

The sickly shade stood out sharply against the emerald fields surrounding it. Steering her pegasus downwards, Hinoka's sharp eyes quickly identified the green blob as a Faceless. Remembering her last encounter with the beasts, Hinoka gritted her teeth as she used her downwards momentum to easily spear her naginata through the creature before it was even aware of her presence. With a pained shriek, the Faceless died in a sickening spurt of oozing black blood.

Hinoka glanced around warily, her hand still clutching her naginata tight. Was the Faceless alone? Or were there others lurking about?

"Mozu, RUN!" Hinoka heard a woman scream a short distance away. Taking to the skies again, she found the fearful shout had originated from one of the farming villages… or what _used_ to be a farming village.

The carefully tended crops lay strewn about the fields, all the care put into them wasted by the monsters' rampage. The town itself was in shambles, the weak wooden houses easily knocked down by the ferocity of the Faceless. There were still, silent forms in the streets that Hinoka refused to look too closely at. Instead, she searched desperately for the source of the cry, her eyes spotting a lone girl running from a group of Faceless.

Her eyes widened as she noticed the sheer number of them. The girl was completely surrounded, and she was being herded right into another group of Faceless. The girl's grip on her naginata was clumsy, and she barely had enough speed to keep her ahead of the monsters chasing her. It was clear she wouldn't last long in a fight against them.

Knowing she didn't have the strength to fight off so many Faceless at once with her only backup an inexperienced farmer's daughter, Hinoka pulled her pegasus into a steep dive. Landing right beside the girl, Hinoka quickly plucked her from the ground and took off, the girl clinging to Hinoka as they quickly rose into the sky. The Faceless shrieked in rage as they escaped, barely gaining enough height to evade their wild grabs for the pegasus.

Hinoka let out a sigh of relief as they gained more height, steering her pegasus towards the nearest fortress for reinforcements. A soft whimper brought her attention back towards the cowering girl, her wide-eyed stare transfixed on the ground far below them.

"Hey, don't look at the ground, focus on me," Hinoka coached, smiling encouragingly as the girl's horror filled gaze turned towards her. "There you go! Just like that! Now, can you tell me your name?"

"M-my name is Mozu," she answered, her soft voice almost lost in the wind.

"I'm Hinoka. Can you tell me what happened here?" Hinoka pressed, already planning her report and request for aid once they reached the fort.

"Hinoka? As in… Princess Hinoka?" Mozu gasped, her eyes widening to the size of saucers as she jumped. Hinoka steadied the girl as she flailed, and her pegasus neighed his disapproval at the jarring movement. "I-I'm so sorry Your Highness! I didn't recognize you!"

"Er… That's alright," Hinoka awkwardly responded, steadying her stead as Mozu settled down. "Look, I really need to know what happened in your village."

At Hinoka's insistence, the awed look in Mozu's eyes was replaced by sorrow, her eyes filling with tears as she began her story in a shaky voice. "I-it was just a normal day. Everyone was going about their normal tasks and then… and then those _things_ attacked. We couldn't fight back. We're just a simple a simple farming village! And they attacked so quickly! We had no time to run or hide, and everyone… my neighbors… my friends… my _mother_ ," Mozu's voice faded as she listed the victims of the attack. The young girl quickly dissolved into tears, her shoulders quaking with sobs as Hinoka held her steady.

Mozu fell silent as Hinoka pushed her pegasus towards the fort, racing to get reinforcements before the Faceless found another defenseless farming community. Looking at her youthful features and small frame, Hinoka was reminded of Sakura. They were both so young, and they'd both seen far too much pain and bloodshed for their age.

Suddenly, Hinoka felt a surge of determination, the kind she hadn't felt since Nicole first disappeared. Looking at the small, shuddering form clutching tightly to her as they flew, Hinoka realized that her training hadn't been for nothing. Without her interference, Mozu would have died. Though she initially became a pegasus knight to save her sister, her diligence had saved the farmgirl's life. Her skills could save countless others too.

Nicole was gone, but that didn't mean Hinoka had nothing left to fight for.

* * *

Camilla stalked the training field, circling the sparring ring like a predator as she waited for the next unfortunate soul that wandered too close to her. She was like a viper, ready to strike at the first person to dare come too close to the coiled snake.

She knew she must look positively deranged at this point. Her hair, which had been styled in an immaculate bun earlier that morning, was slowly losing the battle to gravity and humidity. Only half of it still remained in the confines of the bun, the rest flowing around her face and giving her a wild, unkempt appearance. Her eyes were purple shards of ice that threatened to pierce anyone who looked directly into them, and the axe she held in a death grip was stained with splatters of blood, which was a testament to her ferocity in the training ring since it was only a dull, wooden practice axe.

Unfortunately, it seemed the only soldiers left in the training yard possessed at least some degree of common sense, and they gave the area Camilla prowled a wide berth. With a sigh, she turned and chucked the axe at the nearest training dummy, feeling a flush of satisfaction at the hollow thunk as the axe struck the old, battered armor that adorned it.

"Princess Camilla is not to be disturbed," a dangerous voice growled from across the field. Turning, Camilla saw Iago quickly approaching, flanked by both Charlotte and Beruka as they attempted to halt his progress.

"Yeah, so unless you want to get flayed alive, I suggest you go attend some of your other duties as the royal lapdog," Charlotte snapped with a wicked scowl on her face. Even she couldn't stomach fawning over Iago.

Camilla's lips twitched in the barest imitation of a smile at her retainer's attempts to preserve the peace she'd requested. Though her false smile dropped as she observed the gleeful look on Iago's face, her stomach already churning at whatever caused the wicked man's delight.

"Iago. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" Camilla drawled, plucking her axe from the ground in a subtle threat.

"Princess Camilla," Iago greeted, eyes dancing with a sickening mirth. "King Garon has asked I inform you of your next mission."

"And?" Camilla prompted, her gut twisting uncomfortably as Iago's grin widened. How vile must this mission be to give him such pleasure?

"King Garon has tasked you to…," Iago paused, drawing out the suspense and likely taking delight in Camilla's horrified anticipation, "find the traitor Nicole and execute her."

Camilla's mind went blank, a numb, fuzzy feeling filling her as she stared at Iago. A distant part of her noted Iago's mouth was still moving, but she couldn't hear the words. Not that she particularly cared; she'd simply question her retainers later. Iago soon turned and strode away, a slight bounce in his normally shuffling step.

Camilla could feel the concerned gazes of her retainers as the numbness faded from her body, allowing a rush of sensations and emotions to come flooding in. She became aware of Charlotte's comforting hand on her shoulder and Beruka's quiet, deadly words offering to attempt the mission alone.

The rush of gratitude she felt for her retainers was soon wiped away by a barrage of other emotions. The grief and fury she'd spent hours working out of her system came flooding back stronger and more dominating than ever. Some part of her withered heart wailed miserably, screaming against the abuse being inflicted upon it. How could its shattered pieces survive being ordered to… being ordered to…

She had known this was a possibility, of course, but Camilla had assumed it would fall to Xander. It was a horrible, selfish desire, but as the crown prince, Xander had the most to prove. King Garon was always devising tests to ensure his loyalty to Nohr always took precedence over trivial familial bonds. What better way to test Xander than this?

 _Though I suppose I always was the most openly affectionate towards Nicole,_ Camilla thought bitterly to herself.

With a sigh, Camilla set off for her chambers. Charlotte and Beruka silently trailed after her, both accepting their liege's desire for the company of her own thoughts. Those unfortunate enough to cross paths with the trio were quick to skirt around the group and avert their eyes, either warned away by Camilla's stony expression or her retainer's threatening glares.

With her mind free to wander, Camilla's thoughts turned to her childhood. Thought she should already have begun planning for her mission, Camilla couldn't drag her thoughts from memories of her siblings… the dead ones. Even today, she could still list them all: Naomi, the musical prodigy; Jarod, the trouble maker; Amber, the aspiring chef… the list of Camilla's half siblings went on and on.

Of course, Camilla had some fond memories of her siblings filled with laughter and childish antics, but, mostly, she remembered the bad stuff. She remembered the blood and bodies of the royal children. She heard her mother's incessant demands echoing in her ears. She recalled the tearful, heartbroken mothers attending countless funerals. She remembered the ever present fear, always wondering if she'd be the next victim of the brutality of Nohrian politics… It had been a dark time, both for the kingdom and for Camilla.

But it had ended. She had escaped that life as one of the few survivors. And she'd vowed to _never again_ spill the blood of her siblings.

As she stalked through the halls of Krakenburg several years later, Camilla wondered if she would be forced to break that vow.

* * *

Ryoma stood before Mikoto's chambers, his hand poised to knock, but he found himself hesitating. Though the queen was known for her calm, serene disposition, he doubted the following conversation would be pleasant, especially considering how long he'd put it off.

The Hoshidan army had returned to the capitol nearly a day ago to the thunderous cheers of the people. Though the battle hadn't ended in a victory, it wasn't a defeat either, which, given how little time the Hoshidan army had to prepare, many people still celebrated.

Still, Ryoma cursed the battle's unfinished conclusion. Both princes, rapidly tiring during their battle, had been forced to end their duel in a stalemate as their wounds worsened. Ryoma's own leg had been ready to buckle beneath him. Following their prince's retreat, each kingdom's army had been quick to follow their commanders, and the battle drew to an unsatisfying, premature close.

Ryoma was now tasked with deploying troops and mobilizing for war, but first, he resolved to inform Mikoto of… recent developments. Honestly, this was a task he should have handled immediately upon his return, but it had been delayed in favor of numerous war councils devoted to preparing Hoshido for the battles ahead.

Though a rather annoying voice in the back of his head kept reminding him that the war effort wasn't the sole reason for the delay.

Truthfully, Ryoma an absolute coward in the face of this task. He was terrified of Mikoto's reaction, but she deserved to hear the truth from him in person, not through some hastily written account of the battle.

Finally, with a sharp, steadying intake of breath, Ryoma knocked.

"Come in," came Mikoto's muffled voice from the chamber's interior. Hesitantly, Ryoma eased open the door.

She was sitting with her back to him, her legs folded underneath her as she stared out the window. There were papers scattered messily about the room in an uncharacteristic display of untidiness from the normally organized queen.

"Mother?" Ryoma called softly, questioningly. "What is all of this?"

"Reports," she answered, her back still turned towards him. "From the battle."

Ryoma felt ice in his veins at the queen's cold, detached tone. "So you know?"

She paused for a moment and started to turn. Ryoma mentally prepared himself, bracing for the righteous anger in her eyes, the scathing words, the screaming and raging. Only… her eyes held none of that. Instead, they contained something infinitely worse.

Disappointment.

Ryoma could handle fury. Fury was like a summer storm, full of booming thunder and flashing lightning, but once it passed, the world was once again still and peaceful. However, disappointment was like a winter storm. It left ice and snow everywhere, freezing the world for months on end and leaving it dead and barren in the storm's wake. Sure, patience and tireless care would eventually see it healed, but how long would that take?

"Yes, Ryoma, I know," she finally answered, gracefully standing to fully face him. Ryoma waited for her to continue, waited for the reproachful reprimands and distressed grievances, but they never came. She simply kept gazing at him with that same, disappointed expression, waiting for _him_ to make the first move.

"I'm sorry," Ryoma eventually blurted out, willing to say something, _anything_ that might wipe that look off the queen's face.

"Are you apologizing to me, Nicole, or yourself? Only one of those people wants _and_ needs your apology, so which is it?" Mikoto questioned calmly, making Ryoma feel worse.

"I didn't mean-,"

"I know," she interrupted softly. "Ryoma… why did you do it?"

"She has betrayed Hoshido. She turned her back on…," Ryoma trailed off as Mikoto shot him a sharp look.

"I did not ask for the excuses you gave everyone else. I asked for the real reason," she demanded, her tone a bit sharper than before.

Ryoma hesitated, unwilling to admit, even to himself, the truth of his declaration. They stood in silence, Mikoto continuing to stare at him with uncomfortable intensity while he collected his scattered thoughts to form a coherent explanation.

"She aimed her sword at me," Ryoma finally ground out, "in defense of that Nohrian prince. She fully intended to fight; I could see it in her eyes. And the Nohrian stood behind her with that smug _smirk_ , like he'd already won, like she'd already declared her allegiance to Nohr."

"Did she not turn her blade on him soon after?" Mikoto questioned, her tone deceptively neutral.

"Yes, but it wasn't in my defense," Ryoma answered bitterly "While she turned her blade to me in defense of the Nohrian, she merely turned on him to reaffirm her neutrality."

Mikoto's expression had turned unreadable as Ryoma gave his explanation. She stood rooted to the spot, staring stonily at a spot over Ryoma's shoulder as he gave his explanation.

"Then she ran," Ryoma continued softly. "She left before either side could reach her. My duel with the Nohrian ended, our warriors dying to cover my retreat as I returned empty handed, both Nohrian crown prince and rogue sister slipping through my fingers. Hinoka was the first to greet me, and the way she looked at me, the expectation in her eyes. Do you know what it felt like to watch the realization and defeat replace it? That devastated look was what made it sink in, made me realize she was well and truly gone. After all this time spent trying to find her, she _left._ She _ran away_ and left _me_ to deal with the fallout. Hinoka's disappointment, Takumi's bitterness, Sakura's sorrow… I have to deal with all of it because Nicole abandoned us. After everything we went through to reunite with her, she sided against us!" Ryoma finished, panting slightly from the force of the emotions spilling out.

"Are you angry she sided against you or are you angry she didn't explicitly side _with_ you?" Mikoto asked, her eyes finally focusing on Ryoma's face.

"Is there really a difference?" Ryoma bitterly mumbled.

"Of course there's a difference!" Mikoto exclaimed, finally raising her voice.

"Are you sure about that? Don't you find it a bit suspicious that, after her involvement with the incident in the plaza- the incident that nearly killed you- she would declare neutrality? If she truly wanted peace, why not side with Hoshido? Why would she even attempt to defend a nation capable of such despicable actions?" Ryoma questioned, his voice rising with each accusation.

"What are you insinuating Ryoma? That she had a hand in the destruction of the square? That she's been working against us this entire time? Your accusations are starting to make you sound like Takumi," Mikoto argued, her eyes flashing.

"Well then, perhaps I should have taken his concerns more seriously!" Ryoma yelled, his hands tightening into fists.

"Mere days ago you were berating Takumi for his baseless accusations, and now you're supporting them? Nicole is out there, Ryoma, a fugitive from her own family. Now is not the time to let yourself be biased by your wounded pride!" Mikoto pleaded, her eyes shining with desperate tears.

"Are you sure I'm the one that's biased?" Ryoma spat, his voice going soft as he hurled the most cutting accusation he could.

"What do you mean?" Mikoto's questioned, here eyes widening with horror at the implication.

"Tell me, if it was Hinoka or Takumi accused of treason, would you still be so insistent that they were innocent? Or are you biased towards the only one of us related to you by blood?" Ryoma mercilessly pressed. Immediately, though, he felt a flush of guilt as he considered the harshness of his statement.

Mikoto was silent for a few moments, her expression melting from anger to an inscrutable mask. For a moment, Ryoma worried that he'd pushed too far, that she'd send him away for his stupid, brash comment.

"That's a double edged sword, Ryoma. Tell _me_ , if it was Hinoka or Takumi, would you persecute them as you have Nicole? If she were related to you by blood, would you have declared her a traitor?" Mikoto finally said, her tone as carefully blank as her face.

Ryoma winced, shame filling him as Mikoto's callous statement echoed his own. "I'm sorry," he earnestly apologized, sighing when she gave no response. "It is clear we are not going to agree at present time. I must convene a war council. We'll talk more later," he promised, wincing as she turned to stare out the window once again.

Ryoma left hastily, too much of a coward to delay his departure. As he softly closed the door, soft sobs could be heard from within Mikoto's chambers. Ryoma felt the righteous fury he'd worn like a shield around his heart fracture at the muffled cries, and guilt quickly welled up in the cracks.

Ryoma didn't know what to think. He wanted to believe Nicole was innocent, but there was so much suspicion and mystery surrounding her. He knew Mikoto didn't believe Nicole capable of betrayal, but she obviously wasn't observing the situation with a clear, unbiased mind.

Ryoma pushed thoughts of Nicole away. He had bigger problems at the moment. The lives of his people and the sovereignty of his nation were at risk. As much as he wanted to bring Nicole home, he had to focus on the war effort.

So, with the sobs of the queen echoing after him, Ryoma purposefully strode towards the war council.

* * *

"Xander," Nicole greeted softly, her eyes shining with a warmth rarely found in Nohr. The setting sun sank behind her, throwing beams of light across her hair and casting her face in shadow as the grassy plain swayed in the breeze.

"Nicole!" Xander called in relief. For some reason, he felt as though he'd forgotten something, something to do with Nicole's safety, something terrible, but a quick scan for injuries revealed nothing amiss. Satisfied that she was fine, he glanced at her face again, only to see that her expression had drastically changed.

She was no longer smiling in greeting. Her eyes, which had held such happiness, were filled with hurt and anguish. Xander felt panic claw through his veins as he began to sprint towards her. She was hurt. He had to get to her. However, after a few moments, Xander realized he was getting no closer to Nicole. His sprinting had done nothing to close the distance between them. There were tears streaming down her face as Xander stopped running.

"Nicole? What's wrong? What happened?" Xander desperately questioned. He still could see no injuries on her, but she was clearly in pain.

Nicole didn't respond. Instead, she turned away from Xander, towards the setting sun. Xander was distressed to notice she'd started trembling, her shoulders quaking with the silent sobs that wracked her body. Suddenly, she stopped. An eerie stillness overcame her, and a second later, Xander watched in horror as the tip of a sword protruded through her back.

"NO! NICOLE!" Xander roared, resuming his sprint towards his sister. He searched behind her for the _coward_ that would strike an unarmed woman. He would _murder_ the assassin _here and now!_

With a jolt, Xander stumbled to a stop. The space in front of Nicole was empty. There was no one holding the sword, although the blade itself did seem awfully familiar. There was something… about…

Siegfried. It was Siegfried.

With that realization, the scene shifted. Xander was no longer standing behind Nicole; he was standing in front of her. His hands gripped Siegfried's handle. His horrified gaze traveled the length of the sword and up Nicole's torso until his eyes found her face.

The pain in her eyes was gone, replaced with acceptance and… forgiveness. Her hand came up to cup Xander's cheek, brushing away the tears he hadn't realized were falling.

"Try to be… at peace," she gasped out. Her eyes turned glassy as her hand went limp, the light and life leaving her. Then, she was simply… gone.

Nicole was no longer there. No one was there. Xander was alone, completely alone, left only with a bloodstained-

"NO!" Xander screamed, startling awake and scattering papers everywhere.

Xander groaned as he realized he'd fallen asleep in his study again. Breathing heavily, he strode over to the fireplace and set the fire blazing again, resolutely ignoring his shaking hands. His dream played itself over and over again in his mind with vivid clarity

The worst part? The dream wasn't a complete fabrication of his tortured mind. That expression- that horrible, pained expression she'd worn- he'd seen it before. It was the same expression on her face as she turned her blade on Prince Ryoma, as she turned her blade on Xander.

He knew full well why Nicole had done it. He knew she hadn't meant to betray them all. She truly believed in her naive ideals, but it didn't change the harsh reality of their situation. The second the Hoshidan crown prince had declared Nicole a traitor, her fate was sealed. Nohr could not look weak; it could not forgive a crime the notoriously lenient Hoshidans had declared traitorous. He'd had no choice.

And then there was his Father's reaction to consider.

Had he failed to act, King Garon would have seen it as Xander placing the wellbeing of his siblings above the duties of a crown prince. It had happened before, and the consequences were never pleasant. He still vividly remembered the ramifications for one such occasion. He had run out of a war council upon hearing Nicole had fallen gravely ill. Upon his return, Leo had been sent out on an exceedingly dangerous mission. Leo had returned months later with several new scars and a haunted look in his eyes that lasted for many months more. It had been a simple matter then, trivial in hindsight, but King Garon had made his point abundantly clear.

Should Xander place familial bonds above his princely duties, his siblings would pay the price for his negligence.

Xander shuddered to think of the consequences had he not declared Nicole a traitor at the battle's conclusion. He likely wouldn't have seen his siblings until the end of the war… if he ever saw them again at all, that is.

Still, Xander's justifications failed to bring him peace.

The simple truth was, Xander missed his sister. He missed all his siblings.

He missed Camilla's constant nagging about everything from healthy sleeping habits to their next visit to see Nicole. He missed seeing Leo's head barely peeking over the top of his book, his nose nearly pressed to the pages when he became engrossed in something particularly fascinating. He missed the sound of Elise's laughter echoing down the halls of Krakenburg, pigtails bouncing behind her as she raced to her next adventure.

He missed the trips to the Northern Fortress and the brief reprieve from court life they bought him. He missed seeing his siblings light up as they approached the fort's walls. As irrational as it was, he missed the dreary fortress. It was the one place he wasn't the _Crown Prince_. He was just Xander, an older brother who loved his siblings.

But at least the fortress was still there. At least Camilla, Leo, and Elise were still with him. Perhaps they acted like mere shades of their former selves, but at least the reminder of happier times was always present in their presence.

Honestly, it made him miss Nicole all the more. He missed _everything_ about her presence because she was completely, utterly _gone_ , with little hope of ever returning.

It was times like these that forced Xander to acknowledge the truth he was terrified of voicing. If they met on the battlefield, could he do it? A dream, an illusion of the unconscious had left him sweating and shaking at the mere _thought_ of doing it.

But with his other siblings' lives on the line, could he afford not to?

In addition to the danger posed to Camilla, Leo, and Elise, Xander was _angry._ Though he understood Nicole's reasons, the sting of betrayal was not so easily mended, and Nicole was no longer here to do the healing herself.

Despite his anger and fear, Xander knew he could never bring himself to kill his sister, not when the mere _idea_ of it was enough to bring him to his knees. However, Xander could not let Nicole live, not if he wanted to spare his other siblings King Garon's fury. There was really only one course of action he could take.

Nicole couldn't be his sister.

He knew she had her reasons. He knew she had a right to be angry at the discovery of her true heritage. He would even admit that her actions hadn't been the treasonous plot he'd been forced to portray them as, but none of that mattered.

He'd have to harden his heart against the bittersweet memories of their childhood. Erase the images of happier times from his mind and think of her as nothing but another enemy, not his sister, never again. Xander mourned the memories lost even as poisoned them, locking the tainted remnants away, but he was ready to perform his duty as crown prince of Nohr.

Xander would face Nicole, and when he did, he'd treat her as the traitor he claimed her to be.

* * *

 **A/N: For anyone wondering where Azura is in this chapter, I just put her section in the next chapter. This was already getting really long, and I was going to write her part last anyway, so I just decided to save it for next time.**

 **So, I know I'm probably going to get some comments about Leo's section saying "You can't say the name Anankos because of the curse!" Well, I'd just like to point out that in Chapter 7 of Conquest, King Garon actually does say the name several times, so I'm perfectly justified in adding it. Just wanted to point that out before I got any backlash for it.**

 **In other news, I've decided to start including a new segment at the end of every chapter: FUN FAILS WITH AUTOCORRECT! Honestly, writing this chapter, I just got so many ridiculous corrections I had to do something with them. I can't promise this will happen every chapter, it really depends on how uncooperative the computer is while I'm writing, but here's the funniest fails autocorrect tried give me this time:**

 **Both princes, rapidly tripping during their battle,**

 **The lives of his people and the sobriety of his nation were at risk.**

" **Mozzarella, RUN!"**

 **Man, that sobriety thing puts a** _ **very**_ **interesting spin on Hoshido, though I suppose it explains all the tripping during the battle. Also, apparently autocorrect hates the name Mozu.**


End file.
